Meeting Kanou-a
by bxk-freakazoid
Summary: Our fav gang of four hangs out at the beach. roaming alone to an abandoned area, Ben spots an unusual but common fairytale fantasy; a merman! the aftermath of this new frndship, and a bunch of twists and turns, a bit of fighting and angst :P inspired from a few comics on smackjeeves . com ! rated M for sexual stuff and bad language! OCxBen / KevinxBen! COMPLETED!
1. Initiation

**_hello!_**

**_just a lil something that i was inspired from reading three R-rated webcomics on smackjeeves . com! _**

**_hawhawhaw! i cudnt help it this story was bombarding around my head so bad i had to spill it out :3_**

**_enjoy!_**

**_warning : (+18 only pls!) this story possibly contains yaoi/ boyxboy and graphic male on male sex even! and if ure homophobic AND love to eat fish, i suggest you keep an airsickness bag with you incase you get curious enuf to read this story!_**

**_disclaimer : i do not own any of the ben ten alien force characters. damn._**

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**MEETING KANOU-A**

**_Chapter one : Initiation_**

It was another brilliant day at the beach; Ben, Kevin and Gwen had managed to go off to the coastal areas and visit the beach that overlooked a vast sea or ocean.

While Kevin and Gwen had dropped back to the shore for refreshments, Ben wandered off the side of the beach till he came to the narrow abandoned area.

Standing in only a pair of loose Ben-Ten-green beach shorts, with his Omnitrix on his wrist, he enjoyed the scenery before him; the evening sun was hanging low in the sky, casting a rather sensuous blend of pinks, reds, oranges along with the violets and blues of the sky. The sea, or ocean as Ben suspected it to be, reflected the medley of gorgeous colours, and for a second Ben felt it to be a natural firework without booming noises!

As he looked out to the sea, near the shore, several feet away, on a clump of jagged rocks that protruded from the surface of the water, something moved.

Ben's green eyes swiftly caught sight of the most unexpected thing he had ever seen.

Against the lusty colours of the sleepy red sun, was the silhouette of a man. _With a tail_.

Ben gaped as he saw the man stretch up his arms and run his fingers through long, wet, black hair like a porn star; his fair skin sparkling curiously in the visible light, a string of sparkling pearls hanging loose around his neck, and an array of beautiful toned muscles lining his abdomen and arms. And the shock of the spectacle was the tail; the man had no legs at all! All he had was a slim fish tail that was hard to spot the colour of. As the waves gently crashed against the rocks, the man lowered his hands onto the surface of the rock he sat on, to support himself, thereby making his face clear for Ben to see although from a far.

"_What the!_" he gaped.

The man's face was exactly that of Kevin's.

"_Kevin?! In cosplay?! What the hell?!_" Ben gaped further. Not only because it didn't make sense, but also because he had never thought that a merman's costume would be so sexy; it definitely added a great amplification to Kevin's already hot looks.

And all that water glistening off that body!

The face of the man had been gazing far out to the horizon. But something made him turn and then he saw Ben. And Ben saw his face better. Yup, he was definitely Kevin if not anything else!

The greater surprise was that the man, or Kevin in cosplay, had bright blue eyes. In one glance, the man froze with an expression of cold no-recognition, he turned and with a 'flip!' and a 'ker-splash!' he disappeared from view.

"Woah!" Ben gasped. The last thing he saw was a long tail that gracefully twirled up before disappearing as well.

Ben stood stumped, gaping at the now empty clump of rocks. Confused beyond understanding, he didn't even hear a voice call out, "_Tennyson?! _Where the _Hell_ are you?!"

Soon, Kevin appeared from the shore, in dark blue beach shorts, craning his neck around for Ben. The moment he caught sight of Ben gazing open-mouthed into the sea, the burly teenager stomped his way angrily to the hero.

"Ben! What're you doing out here?!" Kevin demanded, crossing his arms at his chest.

"Watching you swim away..." Ben answered stupidly still having his green eyes on the horizon.

"_What?!_ I'm right _here_, you idiot!"

"Whuh?!" Ben snapped out of his reverie, to turn and see Kevin frowning at him.

_So it was NOT Kevin in cosplay? _ Ben thought to himself. _ Maybe 'cause I was thinking of Kevin just now, and the sun was too hot on my head that I saw an illusion?_

_Naaaaaah, it's gotta be a real merman!_

"Tennyson, quit messing around and come over to the inhabited side of the shore and ...what are you staring at?!" Kevin watched Ben gaze out further into the ocean.

"I saw a ... uh...a shark," Ben stammered, his eyes still searching for that merman, or whatever it was, "and I was curious, that's all!"

"Yeah, you better leave that to the sea, dude; Gwen's been chewing off my head when you went missing! Get back to our spot, Ben!"

"Come on!" Ben pouted angrily, "I'm not TEN for her to mommy me around!"

"Tell that to her; she's half in Anodite mode, if I might add," Kevin added sourly, shaking his head. "It's best for both of us if we get back before she blows her top!"

Ben looked back at the sea, "Tell her I'm coming in a few minutes, I need to... uh..., go out for a swim," Ben spoke. He had made up his mind to at least take effort to spot the creature he had seen.

"OH no you don't!", Kevin snapped, "I'm not some freakin' _postman_ to pass messages to and fro to you Tennyson cousins!"

Ben turned to Kevin again, putting his greatest skill into action. His large green eyes shone as he pouted adorably, "_Please_ Kevin?" and the poor older teenager found himself paralysed by the knees at the sight of Ben's puppy-dog face.

"Fuck you," Kevin swore helplessly in defeat, frowning at Ben.

Gwen's voice came over from the side of the shore where Kevin had walked out from, "_Kevin? Did you find Ben?!_"

"_Yeah, uh, coming!_" Kevin answered aloud. He turned back to Ben and hissed, "Fine, you do a lil' swimming and make it quick, I dunno how long I can hold back the beast!"

"Sure! Thanks!" Ben smiled waving off as Kevin walked away. He suddenly paused and turned around to Ben who was already making his way into the water, "Ben, wait; earlier, did you say _shark_?!"

Ben stopped and almost panicked, "Uh, no uh; did I say 'shark'? I meant... 'dolphin'. Yeah, I spotted a cute dolphin. Yeah."

Kevin shook his head seemingly a little unconvinced but also not caring, before heading out towards the inhabited area as he called it, while Ben wadded into the water almost in a hurry.

Once under the bluish water, Ben gracefully swam about, trying to spot anything of a man with a tail, but it was kind of dark and murky; visibility was not very wide ranged. A few minutes later, Ben felt his lungs protest for fresh air than the one he captured in his bloated cheeks. Swimming up to the surface, Ben gave out a great gasp, gulping in air that his lungs accepted happily. Slicking back his brown hair that was now dark in the wetness, Ben's green eyes looked around for any signs above sea level, but no avail, so he dived back down.

Again and again, for maybe three or four times, Ben dived, searched and came back up.

_Damn, maybe I'm searching for nothing?_ Ben pondered as he floated in the water up to his neck, his legs lazily moving under the water to keep himself afloat, _Why am I searching for that guy anyway?_

Ben found his own answer in his mind, _He was sooo hot! Ok, very classic Ben; you yet again proved you're secretly gay! But, he also looked exactly like Kevin! This could be a prank; and I'm falling for it! Maybe I outta go back and -_

His thoughts fell to a complete stop when he spotted, far out, the same long tail flipping up to the surface gracefully and disappearing like a dolphin's.

"Bingo!" Ben grinned determined, and he dived back down again.

Somehow, Ben caught sight of the murky silhouette of the merman, swimming like how Ben had seen it on TV.

_At least we humans are accurate in fantasies!_ he thought to himself.

But this merman was fast, very fast, owing to his flipper of a tail that moved up and down beautifully. Ben could not outpace him, and when the merman was slowly blurring from view as he went further away from Ben, the brunette committed a mistake: He opened his mouth to scream, "Wait!"

_Uh oh!_ he thought to himself. Not only did he fail to call out, but the mass of air in his mouth escaped in a clump of bubbles.

"Mmwwhhh!" Ben struggled; he looked up and saw that in the eager excitement of meeting the merman, he had travelled down the sea rather deep, too deep to reach up in time for him to breathe. His lungs screamed and his head went heavy as water filled him by the mouth.

"Mmnnwhwhw!" he groaned, his eyes failing as he slowly lost consciousness slowly. Soon his limp body went on a shutdown and he remembered no more.

- End of Chapter -

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**_there. for starters, tht was ok rite? :)_**

**_and why does the merman look like kevin? coz I, BXKFREAKAZOID, am the author and i dig kevin. any problem y'all?_**

**_:D heheheh! new chaptrs coming up!_**


	2. Hello there, pretty human!

**omg! i am hapy ppl like this fic so soon! :3 i luv you alll! **

**ok, so lets get on shall we?**

**(and btw, 'kanou-a' is pronounced ka-noah, get it?)**

**warning : this story contains yaoi/ boyxboy explicit content. pls watch ure step!**

**disclaimer : i do not own any ben ten alien force character! **

* * *

**MEETING KANOU-A**

**_Chapter two : Hello there, pretty human!_**

Long fingers gently brushed away a few strands of damp brown hair that fell over Ben's eyes, and the fingers of sparkling fair skin stroked Ben's cherubic cheek in feathery touches.

Ben groaned. He was feeling a little heavy headed but the breeze was gently soothing on his wet skin.

_Breeze? I must be outta the water... or am I dead?_

Ben slowly opened his green eyes. The first thing he saw: two very large orbs. A blink later, Ben realised he was staring right into, or someone was staring right at him with, a pair of blue eyes lighter in hue than the most indigo of skies. So beautiful and real. Bright ice-blue irises with a small black pupil at the perfect center, perfectly staring right at him.

_Hey, I am so NOT dead!_

For a second, Ben felt ice-cold flesh against underside of his thighs and he could not for the life of him understand what was going on.

"Gyaaargh!" Ben jumped in shock, and fell back with an "Ompf!" right on his butt.

And when he looked up, he realised that he had been sitting on the lap of the very same merman he had his goal on finding, that nearly cost him his life.

"Woah..." Ben gasped as he sat up on his elbows on the sand and observed the merman. Living and breathing, he was no illusion, he was real. Ben could understand it. It was that sort of feeling that one cannot explain but can understand when something was real.

"Hello there, pretty human!" the merman smiled, and it was exactly that Levin trademark that Kevin wore all the time. But this man had enough differences as well. His skin was literally sparkling ivory, the soft pinkish flesh tone made him not look like a porcelain doll. His eyes as mentioned were a light sky blue, he had thin faint eyebrows and the same Kevin nose and lips. The same silky hair that stuck to his head, but this man's was a little longer, licking him around the shoulder blades. The same neck and upper-body, but with the sparkling skin. He wore a string of pearls on his neck it somehow seemed to accentuate his striking abs that moved as he breathed. From his muscular hips onwards, which themselves distracted Ben greatly, started the tail. Ben could not tell which colour it was; blue in moment and green in the next, it kept shifting colours between bluish green and greenish blue like a kaleidoscope, it changed between blue to cyan to variations to greens and back, all at different angles in the setting sun. The end of his tail had two fins, both transparent green and moving as he observed them. Ben looked back up at the blue eyes that gazed at him in a friendly manner, the soft look of his eyes was also one of those features that differentiated him from Kevin.

"Uh, how...how did I end up..?" Ben looked utterly confused.

"You were drowning, and I saved you. I brought you here to the shore to breath. I think you had been chasing me? Humans are rather curious creatures," he observed with a smile.

Ben looked down at the tail and then up at the Kevin-face. "Is this a prank? Some sorta early April Fools or something?"

The merman blinked uncomprehending.

"So you're _really_ a merman?!" Ben stammered in awe.

"Yes, I am."

Ben gazed at him as he sat up properly. It was a bit of shock, afterall, what does one do when rescued by a merman?! And besides, Ben had had his fair share of out-of-this world experiences; and if aliens could be real, why not mermen? And why not that one of them should look exactly like Kevin?

Ben looked at him and the man looked back in as much curiosity.

Before Ben could even think what he was saying, he breathed, "You're all sparkly in the sun! You're really beautiful..."

There came that sincere smile that Ben had seen very rarely on Kevin, "Thank you, and I must say you are quite adorable yourself."

_Ok, it just looked like Kevin said that I'm cute! God forbid Gwen heard that! _Ben blushed a little. Then he suddenly had a thought that he voiced as a question.

"Hey, if you're a merman, how come you can understand what I'm saying? Like, how is it that you're speaking my language? Don't you guys have like some sort of fish tongue, if you know what I mean?"

"We possess the ability to understand any form of language spoken to us and to speak that language back as well. Although humans rather tend to _bend _a few words so it may be hard for me to understand everything," he smiled in a shrug.

Ben nodded stupidly for he was frequently getting lost in those eyes. His eyes then fell on the string around the merman's neck, "Are those real pearls? Why are they sparkling blue every now and then?" he took a closer look, putting his hand out to hold a pearl or two in his fingers, to see small pieces of actual sapphires strung in between the pearls as well. "Woah, that looks real cool!"

The man observed Ben with an amused face, "Have you never seen pearls or sapphires before?"

Ben accidentally pressed his palm into the pectoral muscle as he inspected a pearl and he shrank back ashamed, "Sorry, uh, um no, uh..." Ben scratched the back of his head, "Ï have seen pearls before, but they're real expensive and you know it looks...great on you...ehehe..."

Ben had never been so flustered before his whole life! And thankfully for him, the merman found it rather nice, at least his smile said so.

Then, Ben's green eyes fell on the tail. He stared at it wondering what it felt like to have a tail for a pair of legs. His fingers itched to want to touch it, just to make himself prove _to himself_ that it was real and not some messed-up dream. Somehow, (it could have been Ben's twitching fingers) the merman seemed to understand the strain on Ben's mind.

"Do you wish to touch my tail?" he asked innocently and from the look of it he didn't seem to mind at all. Ben replied with his eyes that he would want to.

"Go ahead," the merman smiled as if inviting him. Ben held his breath as he hesitantly put out his hand, _still_ hesitating just a centimetre above the glossy skin, till he dipped his fingers first. The moment his fingertips felt the cold smooth skin, Ben's mind snapped; it was just like when he had touched a dolphin last year at the zoo.

He spread out his fingers and let his palm land gently on the flesh, and the feeling simply nullified his mind; it was cool, smooth and soft just like a dolphin's skin, without scales or odd protruding things like usual fishes. If compared to a human's legs, the part of the tail where Ben placed his hand would have been the merman's left thigh. Ben was awe-inspired as he ran his palm gently along the skin, enjoying himself.

And as Ben was fascinated by the tail of the merman, the merman himself was fascinated by Ben's awe-struck face. He peered interestedly into the small face, observing the large green eyes wider than usual, the dark damp hair that was starting to show its light hue.

When Ben had his fill of inspection, he realised he must have touched this man in an erotic fashion and he hoped against hope that he hadn't offended him in any way; all Ben wanted was to touch a real merman's tail!

When he looked up, the man had a sort of excited child-like innocence on his otherwise Kevin face, "Shall I have a turn too?" he asked breathlessly.

"Huh?"

It took a while for the air-headed Tennyson to get the message. He had not ever thought that a _merman _would be fascinated about a _human's legs_ enough to want to touch them! It kind of stumped Ben in surprise, but he shrugged nonetheless.

"Uh, you wanna take a look at my legs?"

The man nodded, and Ben shrugged, "OK, here."

Ben shifted sideways and stretched out his legs. For a moment he felt they were too scrawny, but the look on the man's face said otherwise. The merman was not as hesitant as Ben, but he was just as curious. He too held his breath as he placed his cold hand on Ben's ankle.

Without a warning, he hoisted up the foot and held it up to his face rather than bring his face to the leg. Ben found himself falling back in a jolt, leaning on his elbows again as leg was hoisted and the man was curiously observing them. He peered at the sole of Ben's left foot, his cold fingers running over the tough skin making Ben let out a peal of helpless giggles, "God, NO! You can't touch there! It tickles like Hell! Stop! Please!" he squirmed and squealed and the man immediately stopped, flushing a little pink in the face, "Sorry, I didn't know it was that sensitive although you support the entire weight of your body on it!"

Ben panted in the aftermath of his giggles and hummed in agreement of the man's comment, "Yeah, never thought of that."

"And what do these do?" he pulled at one toe, "So many of them, oh? All ten in total! What do these do?" the man peered at Ben's toes and then looked over to his face.

Ben had never been faced such a question. What are toes supposed to do?! Ben didn't know. If there was something toes really did, Ben didn't for the life of him know. For a moment, he felt like a loser to the merman; he now wished he had read some of those science texts he had to study!

"They're called 'toes'. And they're just..._there_. They don't do anything!" Ben answered nervously.

"Don't do anything?" he quirked an eyebrow, "All organs have a significance! That's why they are organs!"

"Yeah, but toes don't do nothing; like the appendix, its has no function, it's just there." Ben felt rather proud that he remembered that little fact about the appendix from Gwen's Encyclopedia. Maybe he was not a loser after all!

"The apentecks?!"

Ben now realised there was no point in having talked about the appendix to a _merman_.

"Never mind", Ben shook his head, "But I can move them toes, look!"

And Ben proceeded to wiggle his toes. Since it had been without warning, the merman almost dropped the foot in surprise, but once he was alright with it, he stared at the wriggling 'organs' and chuckled, "That's rather adorable! And funny!"

Ben almost died; he had never seen such innocent mirth on Kevin's face (actually the merman's) before and it actually brought charm to him. For a moment he wished Kevin would smile like that more often.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard, "So if it is cut off, will it grow back? Like the Hydrae in the sea?" the merman asked. Ben blinked at him and realised they were still in the topic of the toes.

"Uh, no, I don't think it's grow back. It's gone means it's gone! It don't grow back like our nails or hair!" Ben shrugged cheerfully.

"Oh..." the man nodded wisely.

Ben gazed at the man's face who inspected the foot further. He was just like Kevin, at least the smile was, but not as innocent though, Kevin could be rock-solid harsh, but this merman was almost as gentle as his soft skin, which by the way felt so wonderful under the sensitive tips of his fingers...

He snapped out of his thought again when he felt cold fingers, like cold jelly, run rather sensuously up his shin. The merman observed the knee, "Oh? Its bends here just like my tail!" he observed under the knee, "Can it bend the other way?"

Ben panicked, "Woah no it can't!" fearing that like a child, the merman might attempt to fold Ben's leg the opposite way. The merman sensed the doubt, smiling, "It's alright, I shan't hurt you in any way..."

"Sure, its ok, um go on..uh...inspecting."

_Awkwurrd_, Ben sang in his head. He almost sighed at his stupid attempts of trying to make a good impression as they conversed.

"Amazing... symmetrical..." the man lifted both of Ben's legs observing them from all angles. Putting down the legs, he continued to feel his way on the skin, and Ben felt a ripple of heat dance on his spine when the soothing cold hand slid up the inner thigh of Ben's left leg.

"Uh..okaaay..." he mumbled feeling suddenly hot around the neck, "Uh, that's a no-go zone...eheh..." but it seems that the merman was far too deep in his interested search that he did not notice Ben's red signal.

Next thing Ben knew, his legs were spread wide and he felt immediately vulnerable and kinky, the merman staring exactly at the private area of the beach shorts, "What happens where the legs meet?"

And even before the curious merman's got the answer, his innocent ice-cold palm landed on the cloth which was right above the hero's crotch.

"HAAaah!" Ben gasped, sitting up suddenly without a warning, "_You can't touch there!_"

The next moment they were staring at each other's eyes. Only a hair's breath away. And the hand was still on the crotch.

The merman looked shocked and frozen. He saw Ben's face turn as red as a cherry and the by the feel of the warmth of a rigidness under his palm, he realised what he had just touched.

"Oh I am... I am so sorry!" he apologized, pulling back his hand from Ben's you-know-where and his face away from Ben's. Ben slammed his thighs together and chuckled in embarrassment, looking away fidgeting, "Eh,...its uh, it's ok, uh you didn't know what was coming... I mean... uh..."

Ben corrected himself mentally. THIS was the most flustered moment of his life: A merman who looked like his best friend's twin had just touched him innocently in the manhood. And he was secretly gay. Superb!

The merman looked bothered too as he apologized sincerely, "I REALLY am sorry, I didn't know that it was..." he straightened up. "Is it not retractable?"

Ben's eyes went as large as a saucer.

"_Re-retractable_?" Ben stammered.

"Yes, you don't see the sexual organ visibly on _me_, do you?" he gestured to himself. Ben's eyes flashed to the man's flat neat torso and back to the face, his own cheeks going redder, "No."

"Ours only come out when we are extremely aroused."

"Oh, gee that's...cool," Ben didn't actually know how to respond to that piece of information.

Smiling to relieve the tension in the air, the merman shrugged, "I suppose this is why humans wear clothes? Because their sexual organs are not retractable and they wish to cover themselves for modesty and dignity?"

Ben rubbed his wrist with the Omnitrix, "Y-yeah. That, and to protect ourselves from the surroundings and environment, as per our adaptive living."

_Wow! That was a good one Ben!_ Ben congratulated himself happily.

"And this?" he pointed at the Omnitrix. Ben looked at the gadget and wondered how to answer to a meran that aliens lived in other planets around Space, "Its a watch. Its also a kind of accessory, like your pearl chain?" Ben hence decided to shun talking about that.

"I see."

Silence.

The merman seemed a little guilty, "I hope I have not offended you; you are the first human with whom I have been acquainted and I do not wish to scare you away..."

"It's ok, I'm not offended, eheh..." Ben stammered with a shy smile.

A few moments of silence followed again, where they gazed at each other. Ben looked at the face, again mystified by the blue eyes and the familiar smile.

"Is something wrong?" the merman whispered, in a way that was rather sensuous, making Ben's cheek slowly seep with red and pink blotches.

"Uh, no, uh..." he looked at him again before answering honestly, "You look identical to a close friend..."

"Do I?" he smiled in reply, optimistically,"That's nice; that way you will not be uncomfortable around me!"

Ben sighed to himself, _Yeah, but if I see it from a twisted angle, Kevin just groped my crotch!_

"What is his name?" the merman asked curiously. Ben blinked at him, again getting lost in his eyes, "Uh, you mean, oh... it's Kevin."

"Kevin?"

"Yeah, Kevin _Ethan_ Levin," Ben hissed, looking away, diabolically grinning making sure the word 'Ethan' was emphasised; Kevin had always made fun of his middle name Kirby, so Ben might as well draw some fun outta letting a fantasy creature know of his!

"Oh? And what is your name? How pathetic of me to not have asked earlier!" the merman shook his head wisely.

"Me?" Ben blushed a little, "Benjamin Tennyson, you can call me Ben for short of Benjamin."

"But you only have two names? Kevin has three?" the merman asked cocking his head.

'Doink!' went Ben's head. Ben had NOT expected the merman to be that observative of a name.

"Uh, yeah... uh..." Ben had just dug his own grave; using Kevin's shovel!

Ben lied, "Yeah well I only have two names Ben and Tennyson!" he spoke a little too fast. And the merman was curiously watching Ben's left eye twitch helplessly. Altogether, the man smiled a particular smile, one that Kevin was known to wear when he guesses that Ben was lying.

_Damn my eye!_

Together with the smile, the man's eyes had a particular shine to it as if to say "I know you're lying!"

Ben looked back at the blue eyes and the blue eyes looked back. After a few more seconds, Ben couldn't stand it anymore. Ben sighed in defeat, "Ok, fine! I _do_ have three names as you guessed; its... Ben Kirby Tennyson."

Ben pouted. He tried as much as he could to make 'Kirby' inaudible, but the merman caught it.

"Kirby?" his face actually lit up. Ben looked away folding his hands, "Go on, make funno me!"

"Make fun of you?! Of course not! It's quite a pretty name! In fact I like it better than 'Ben' or 'Benjamin'!"

Ben looked back at him in surprise. Yes, it was there, that sincere honesty on the handsome face, ben could not help exclaim, "Y-you do?! You're not just saying that to please me?..."

"No, I am truthful; shall it matter to you if I call you 'Kirby' from now on?" the merman took one of Ben's hands and pressed it lovingly. Ben's face immediately lit up in a blush.

_Well, I may have dug my own grave; so I might as well get a comfy quilt in it!_

"Sure, ok. I kinda hate the name, but if you like it, it's ok."

"Of course!" the man smiled.

Ben looked at him, suddenly remembering,"Hey what's YOUR name?! I kinda didn't even have the thought to ask, sorry!" he smiled, trying to ignore the fuzzy feeling because of his hand that the merman still held in both of his own.

"My name is Kanou-a."

"Kanou-ah?" Ben repeated slowly, and to his surprise, the merman gasped and dropped Ben's hand, his cheeks as red as a rose.

"I'm sorry did I do something wrong?" Ben seemed confused.

"No, uh," Kanou-a stammered, running a hand through his hair nervously, "It was just that... my name sounded _so beautiful_ tumbling from _your_ lips!"

Ben looked quite stupefied. They gazed at each other, and then blushed together, and then chuckled together and then laughed as well.

When they stopped laughing after a bit, Kanou-a took Ben's hand again, "I am indeed glad I met you, Kirby!"

Ben gave out a sudden grin.

"Is something wrong?" Knaou-a asked again, this time he was confused.

"Nah, its ...my middle name doesn't sound so bad when it came from _your_ lips," Ben whispered, blushing further.

Kanou-a smiled too, and Ben smiled further. As they gazed at each other, the distance between their faces was decreasing without their knowledge... until –

"TENNYSON! WHERE THE _FUCK_ ARE YOU?!" came a growling shout. Ben jumped in startlement and so did Kanou-a.

"Uh oh!" Ben panicked at the sound of Kevin calling out from the shore. Kevin was not yet at the spot where the hero and the merman sat, but he could come in any moment. There was a great sand dune and bunch of rocks isolating this spot from the inhabited place so Ben had just enough time to let Kanou-a out of sight.

"Kanou-a! You must go! Now!" Ben spoke alarmed, gripping the smooth ivory arm.

"Is that you're enemy? What did he mean?" Kanou-a frowned at the direction of source of the voice.

"No, that was Kevin! My best friend! And you should really go!" Ben got up to his feet. Kanou-a nodded understanding, and he only needed a single swing and he was in the water as a wave swept in to lick Ben's feet.

Kanou-a's head appeared from the water, whipping back his hair in a upward flip of his head. He spoke, "Kirby, shall I see you again?"

Ben looked at him, his stomach churning in almost a longing he could not describe, "Yes, I'll meet you here same time, you ok with that?"

Kanou-a nodded, and waved off as he dived underwater and reappeared in a graceful dolphin flip in the air to dive back in again.

Ben found himself gazing dreamily at the sight that seemed so beautiful against the setting sun.

Kevin stomped angrily after having to climb all those rocks to get to Ben. "What the hell is your problem, man?! Didn't I tell you to get over there in a few minutes?!"

Ben turned to Kevin, blinking and reminding himself that this was Kevin, not Kanou-a.

"Yeah, sorry, I uh..."

"Cut the apologies and get your ass moving before Gwen decides to have us for snacks!" he grabbed Ben's arm and tugged him. Ben let himself be pulled away, his eyes on the horizon, happily thinking that somewhere under the water swam a new friend he had made, who would soon be here for him tomorrow.

- End of Chapter -

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**for those of you who r getting the wrong idea here; im NOT trashing kevin in any way! this is my first fic with ben as the main character u knw? i tend to bend towards kevin more often in the other fics but in this fic, weill have a lil kanou-a and then kevin too i cant help it!:3**

**i hope u all like this! :3**

**stick arnd for more, mwah!**


	3. We meet again

_**hello guys!**_

_**thnk u all for ur lovely reviews! ^v^ ure all so awesome!**_

_**and in view of a few wise guests who had advised me to not include my personal opinions into a character, i have removed a few dialogues, but dont worry, they're abt politics which i dunno for wht the hell i added in the first place! my apologies to the guest who feels it has marred my fic; i respect all the review of all my reviewers, and i take ur criticism for my improvement. thnk you! :)**_

_**now onto the story...**_

_**warning : this story contains yaoi / boyxboy, homophobic readers beware and fuck off.**_

_**disclaimer : i donot own ben ten alien force (i wonder wht man of action would say if i involved a merman in it! fufufufu!)**_

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**MEETING KANOU-A**

_**Chapter three : We meet again**_

Ben, Kevin, Gwen and Julie were staying at a beach house; a generous and rich man whom they had saved from an alien attack was more than delighted to let the four teens stay at the beach house for a month for free. And since it was vacation for the three who went to High School, they were more than glad. Max added that some new alien activity was in that very same vicinity, so it was best if they stayed there in order to fight the aliens better.

And two days had passed since the start of their stay. And it was on the second day that Ben found Kanou-a.

And now it was the morning of the third.

o.o.o

Kevin stared rather oddly, with one hand holding a carton of milk and another holding a jar of syrup for his pancakes. His line of sight was fixed on a brunette who sat at the kitchen table, smiling dreamily at the ceiling.

"Ok, something's really _off _here..." Kevin raised an eyebrow.

He came up to the oblivious teen and placed both the items in his hand on to the table and sat opposite to Ben. The green eyes were diagonally gazing at nothing in the ceiling, while his chin was supported by his palm, elbow placed on the table.

"Tennyson? _Tennyson?_" Kevin called calmly, "Ben? Yo idiot!" but the brunette was still daydreaming.

"What the hell..." Kevin shrugged off and poured the syrup onto his stack of pancakes and started to eat his breakfast. He glanced at Ben who still hadn't moved that face of his, which was sporting a pathetically lovesick smile.

By the look of the expression on Kevin's face, he wanted to smack that gaze right off Ben's face!

"TENNYSON!" Kevin barked suddenly, and Ben jolted in surprise, his elbow slipped and his face landed squarely on the pancakes...on which Kevin had poured syrup well in advance.

"Yuck!" Ben groaned, sitting up, with the caramel coloured viscosity dripping thickly off his face. Kevin gave a smug smirk of satisfaction as he munched away happily.

"_Kevin!_ What'd you do that for?!" Ben moaned crossly as he got up and walked to the sink to wash off his face.

"What's YOUR problem, Ben?! You've been spacing out since yesterday and now in the morning too!"

Ben paused washing his face; how was he to tell Kevin that he was lost in thoughts of a blue-eyed merman? Shrugging, he continued his wash, before wiping off his face with the towel nearby and sitting back into his seat with a huff.

"Well?" Kevin asked, his mouth full, pointing a fork at the other teen for emphasis, "You're an ass; you wanna tell me why I should add 'oblivious' to that?"

Ben sighed. Arguing with Kevin was like trying to fight a losing battle. "Nothin, Kevin. I was just thinking about... the ocean..." he looked around whilst shoving a big helping of pancakes into his mouth, "Whersh Gwenn an Djshuliee?"

"_Gwenn and Djshuliee_," Kevin imitated Ben with a grin, clearing his throat after, "already finished their breakfast and are off for their surfing classes with that jock Mason."

Ben noticed a flicker of annoyance in the brown eyes.

Vulnerable point!

"Hehe...jealous much?" Ben challenged his fate to tease the Levin. He was rewarded with one of Kevin's most dangerous silent glares.

Ben shrugged, daring to continue,"I mean, when you look at it; Mason _is_ pretty hot, he's a blonde and he's fun, and he's got a beach bod and..."

Kevin leaned out to the teen and caught him by the collar of his white shirt, "Oh yeah? If he's so great, how about _you_ go date him, eh?" Kevin hissed at'Ben's face that was very close to his. Ben blinked at the brown eyes and chuckled, "Take it easy, I'm just joking! He's not even as _half_ as hot as you are!..."

Silence.

_Uh oh..._

Kevin paused; his angry look falling immediately, "What?! You think I'm _hot_?! What are you, like _gay_?!"

Ben snapped defensively, "I just wanted to make you _feel good!_"

_That came out wrong! Double uh oh! _

Kevin looked stupidly at him, Ben looked stupidly back. Thankfully, their odd exchange of freaky expressions was stopped when Gwen and Julie walked into the room.

"Hey guys, we just dropped in for some clothes and...yikes! What's with the looks on your faces?! You two look like you just chewed _a lemon_!"

o.o.o

Ben could not be happier. He had waited all day for evening to set out. And for a moment as he sat alone in that uninhabited area of the shore, he wondered whether Kanou-a and his presence was all just a wonderful dream from last night, and also whether he was a fool to just sit here till it becomes dark. But his doubts were removed when a graceful figure jumped out the horizon against the orange sun, like a dolphin, twirling once in the air before dropping back into a graceful dive.

A few minutes later, a beautiful dripping black-haired head popped from behind a jagged rock, smiling ear to ear, "Hello, Kirby!" he placed his fair muscular arms on the rock, helping himself up onto it.

Ben's eyelid twitched once, _Damn he remembers? Oh well, it's ok I guess..._ "Hey there, Kanou-a!"

And now, Ben was happily chatting with the merman who sat on a rock with his tail flipping in the waves, while Ben sat beside him.

"Had a good night?" Ben asked, in hopes it was a good conversation starter.

"Very! Thank you! I was thinking of you as I slept." Icy-blue eyes sparkled calm as they looked at Ben gently.

Ben blushed a little. _Wow, he's honest! _"Really? I ...uh...I was wondering about you too; uh, did you tell your family about me or something?"

"No, I suppose my heart does not want to tell them yet. Besides, they do not pester me about whom I meet, so I suppose it's alright!"

"Oh, so you're free to roam wherever you want, huh? No one to question you and stuff?"

"Well, aren't the Royal Princes in your human world free too?"

"So you're a _prince_?!" Ben was surprised that he was surprised. He should have expected that.

"Yes, I seemed to have forgotten to tell you that... are _you_ one?"

"Uh..No..." Ben blinked unsure of what to tell the prince, "Actually, our society does not, uh, have kings or queens or princes anymore; we have presidents and prime ministers chosen by the...you know what? I hate politics and all that crap so, uh why don't we talk about you? Uh, tell me about your family, do you have siblings?"

Ben, for one, was honest right then; he found 'politics and crap' seriously boring. Besides, he didn't know much about it either!

Kanou-a blinked in confusion. The sudden change of topic made him a little frozen, but he smiled again and answered, "Yes I do, I am the youngest of four brothers."

"Ohh...," Ben grinned interestedly, a happy glow forming on Kanou-a's face as a result, Ben adding, "What're their names?"

"Well, my eldest brother is named Kaprosca, the second brother is Koneil, the third is Ke-inno and the fourth is Kanou-a, which is me."

"Cool! You all have names starting with 'Kh'! And your parents?"

"My father Tresthemon is the King of the water world; my mother Gellaoura is the Queen."

Ben looked at him to continue, but seemingly, Kanou-a was answering Ben's questions accurately. He asked about his parents, and the merman gave him their profession and names. That was it.

"And...um... does your father own a Trident of Power or something?" Ben attempted. He had been forced by Gwen to see The Little Mermaid several times and he couldn't help want to ask a real merman that.

Kanou-a actually laughed,"Well, Father does not have a particular weapon; but he does control all powers of the ocean, he maintains peace and harmony."

"So he can do whatever he wants? Like uh, you know, maybe, make the sun stop moving or something?"

"Oh? But that is unnecessary isn't it? Why must father do something that is of no benefit to the Water Kingdom?" Kanou-a asked innocently.

"True, just asking, we humans dont have that sort of power,"Ben then added to himself, "Well, _most_ humans, and me exception."

Ben then gazed in to the beautiful eyes and added, "Uh, and so... you're dad has got powers; do you and you're brothers too?"

"Oh? Why yes!" Kanou-a smiled cheerfully, "Each of us can control all elements of Nature; it's in our royal Blood to do so; but we each control a particular element in special. That is, Kaprosca controls lighting and thunder. He is very powerful; he has almost mastered most elements, but lightning and thunder are his strongest powers. Koniel controls fire. He too is powerful and ...why do you look rather confused, Kirby?"

Ben blinked, "Uh, you guys are _mermen_. Why do you need _fire_ underwater?!"

Kanou-a blinked, "But it is a part of Nature! Besides, sometimes, we need warm water during the cold times, we can't really let ourselves freeze to death, can we? Brother Koniel's power helps maintain the temperature of the kingdom as he is trained by father who himself had done the same in his youth."

"Oh? And the third bro..., uh Kenni?"

"Ke-inno," Kanou-a corrected him with a smile, "He controls air specially. He is still training as well, and can moderately control most elements."

"And you?" Ben asked eagerly, his green eyes wide in excitement.

"Well," Kanou-a sighed rather sadly, "I control water. But being the youngest and not having matured enough, it is by far the only element I can control. I may seem very pathetic, don't I?" he shrugged. Ben gaped at him, catching him by the shoulder to gain his attention, "_Pathetic?! Are you kidding me?!_"

Kanou-a looked shocked at the sudden high pitch of Ben's eager voice, "I'm sorry, Kirby, but I do not know what 'kidding' means..."

Ben laughed happily, shaking his head, "Never mind that," and then added with a grin, "You can control _water_! It's the main thing about the Ocean, right?! It's all just water! You should be proud that you got to control that main element!"

Kanou-a smiled gently at the positive comment, "Yes, but I'm not mature enough to -"

"_When_ you mature (I dunno how you do) but, when you finally are in full control of your powers, you will be owning the bulk of the Ocean in your fingertips, right?! Water, the main element of the Ocean! Your special power! Ain't that awesome?!"

Kanou-a smiled in shock, his mouth open, eyes wide, his eyebrows slanting up in realisation. For a moment, Kanou-a looked like Kevin when he was accepted into Ben's team.

"I had never thought of it that way before! How odd!" he spoke in a daze as he tapped his chin pensively. He then turned to Ben, pressing his hand appreciatively, "Thank you, Kirby! You made me feel far better about myself! You are so optimistic!"

Ben blushed full rosy in the cheeks, "Sure, no probs!" and then he grinned, "You wanna show me some tricks or something?"

Kanou-a raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Alright.." he directed his hand towards the water ahead of them. A few pauses later, he raised his hand slowly and a small swirl of water twirled up like a snake. He suddenly shot up his hand and a wave of water rose above in the form of a thin wall. Ben exclaimed at the large glistening wall of water just frozen in mid air, and watched as Kanou-a moved his hand around in a circular manner, making the water actually curl down and encase Ben, the merman, the rock they sat on, and a little of the shore where the rock itself sat, in a nice soothing sphere-shell of water.

It reminded Ben of one of Gwen's manna shields; one that looked like a ball capturing the person she was saving.

"Oh wow!" Ben gasped in awe. It was nice to actually sit inside a sphere like that; it reminded him of those Aquariums he had been to; where one gets to walk in a tunnel whose walls are made of glass and see the Aquarium from the inside.

Little colours of light danced as the rays of the setting sun danced against the water sphere.

"Gorgeous!" Ben smiled in awe. While he watched the colourful sparkles that came and went in succession, Kanou-a almost sighed as he observed Ben; his green eyes catching the lights in their little enclosure; his slightly tan skin glistening, his gentle toned muscles that made him masculine despite his feminine appearance thanks to the slim abdomen, thin waist and curving hips; his slim long legs which were sheathed in a funny garment of green with flowery prints. Kanou-a carefully shifted closer to the oblivious teenager, their shoulders touching in result. Ben did not notice even when Kanou-a stroked Ben's left hand and held it firmly in both of his own, enjoying the genteel feeling shooting up and down his marine spine.

When Ben finally was done 'ooh'ing and 'aah'ing at the sphere, he turned to see Kanou-a gazing at his hand. Blushing at how close they sat now, Ben stammered, "W-what's wrong Kanou-a?"

Kanou-a looked up suddenly, blue eyes sparkling, his face flushing a little too, "Uh, well, w-well I was just observing this odd thing here..." he looked down at the Omnitrix, "It is buzzing with warm energy; I can feel it! Are you sure it is only an accessory?"

Ben looked indecisive for a second, and Kanou-a sensed it. "I see, if you do not wish to tell me, then its alright; you don't have to..."

"No, I want to; but um, I dunno how you'll understand the complexity; actually I don't know how to _explain_ all of it to you properly...I ..."

"Why don't you _try_ to? I will try to understand",Kanou-a encouraged him, while he let the sphere of water fall back gracefully into the Ocean.

So, Ben spent time telling Kanou-a that the water world, and the land above, was all one whole planet and there were several other planets, all in one unlimited area called Space. And then Ben explained that there were several types of creatures and species called Aliens living out there and that humans were considered the lowest in the intelligence for some species of Aliens. And then, Ben explained about Azmuth who created a powerful device meant for a person named Max who was a member of a team that fights bad Aliens, and that accidentally the device came to his grandson a.k.a Ben. From then on, Ben had been saving humans and Earth from bad Aliens, and that for five years he removed it when all the aliens stopped attacking Earth; and then he put it on again to save the world once more.

And since it had to be broken down this way, Kanou-a understood it all. And he was greatly awed.

"So, you are a powerful Saviour to Earth; like my father is for the Water Kingdom?" Kanou-a asked happily.

"Uh, yeah!" Ben chuckled. He was always used to his great responsibility that he was the Saviour of the Universe, Protector of Earth and all that. But to see Kanou-a look at him so appreciatively, he felt important and victorious.

It was a good feeling, the feeling that his company with Kanou-a gave him; there was so much that the merman didn't know about the human world, and yet as Ben talked to him about the basic things, he felt he had to re-think about his knowledge. Kanou-a's innocent unawareness made Ben think more about himself and the world around him.

"You save people at such a young age; that too in an unlimited Space, with creatures more powerful and devious...I daresay, you would make a _wonderful _prince, Kirby!" Kanaou-a smiled gently; and to Ben, that look in his indigo irises were heaven.

"Kanou-a, thank you, you're so nice..." Ben breathed happily, feeling a sort of warmth spreading from his hand to his hand to his face.

_BEEP!BEEP!BEEP!_

The buzzing against his thigh startled Ben greatly, so greatly that he jumped, and he fell against Kanou-a's cool chest.

"Oops! That' my Plumbers Badge!"Ben smiled apologetically while pullin himself away, as he pulled out the black and green disc. Kanou-a peered curiously as Ben switched it on and a voice message flowed in, "Hey Ben, You gotta head to the south end from the beach house; there're a bunch of DNAliens there! I suspect we'll be out-numbered! Come quick!"

"That's Gwen" Ben smiled, "Shes my cou-"

And another voice added itself in the message, "And get out here quick, Tennyson! You better not be watching Sumo Slammers like the last time!"

Ben sighed, "And _that's_ Kevin."

Kanou-a frowned gently, "He sounds rude!"

"Well," Ben shrugged, "That's just Kevin; rude, rash, ruffian. But he's a good guy; he has a soft, carinh heart that he protects with his rough-n-tough exterior."

"Are you fond of him?" came the sudden question which Kanou-a spoke in a small voice almost as if he was afraid of what the answer might come out as.

"Uh, yeah, I like him; he's a good guy as I said; he's my best friend, Kanou-a," Ben looked uncomfortable with that odd gaze that the merman was bestowing upon him.

Kanou-a blinked and looked away in confusion of his own feelings, after which he smiled and said in a way of reminding Ben, "Didn't they ask you to help them?" he pointed at the Plumbers Badge

"Oh right!" Ben gasped, shrugging, "Yeah, I gotta go!"

Kanou-a squeezed Ben's hand a little firmer, as a gesture of gratitude, "Thank you for your lovely time, Kirby! I hope we can meet again?"

"Ofcourse! Yes, please! Same time?"

"Oh! I just remembered something!" Kanou-a smiled. He conjured a seashell out of thin air, a small pure white cone-shaped conch. It had an odd blue-ink carving onto it, and for a moment Ben felt it resembled the symbol of peace, on the Omnitrix.

"I made this yesterday; I thought that I may not be able to meet up with you all the time, and hence I enchanted this shell. Now I realise that you may be in need of saving someone all the time; hence, whenever you are free, blow upon this, it emanates a sound that only can be heard by me, and I shall come to you on this shore."

Ben gaped at him, he looked at the white conch and then up at the blue eyes, "You _enchanted_ a conch, for _me_?"

"Yes, it's quite hard work, but due to the element of water that I specialise in, it was easier for me than it would be for most merpeople!"

Kanou-a placed the tiny conch on Ben's palm, and then folded Ben's fingers atop it. Leaning in towards him, the beautiful merman whispered, "I hope to see you tomorrow as well, Kirby? We have so much to exchange!"

"_E-exchange?_" Ben stammered, his eyes falling on Kanou-a's lips that smiled gently.

"Yes, so much about each other we have to learn as friends..."

"Friends...yeah" Ben nodded stiffly. The blue eyes, that searched his green ones, almost froze him solid.

With a smile, Kanou-a spoke, "Bye, Kirby!"

And the merman slipped off the rock and into the tides. Holding tightly onto the conch, Ben got up, and waved off to a far-off silhouette of the merman half in the water who waved back.

-End of Chapter –

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_**there! so kanou-a meets ben again!**_

_**btw, kaprosca is pronounced 'ka-proh-ska' and koniel is pronounced 'ko-ni-al' and ke-inno is pronounced, well, 'keh-inno'**_

_**made it all up; those names by the way :P and the reference to disney classic the little mermaid movie, yeah well, i cudnt help it!**_

_**review pls! thnk u!**_


	4. Exploration

**_Yeah the story is going to go conventionally, my guest Hrmmm (seriously? THTs ur name?), but pls bear with me, I actually don't do conventional if you wanna know; so u can expect a few twist at the end. But if u don't have the patience to enjoy this, u r free to leave another review of why Kevin is being dragged into this story even tho its OCxBen, a question I am going to answer (and will go on answering) with a 'read the whole story damnit!'_**

**_But thnk you, it shows u care! :D _**

**_And thnk you all others too, for liking my story! :D and I am continuing it too! :D_**

**_warning : this story is all about yaoi meaning boyxboy!_**

**_disclaimer : i donot own ben ten alien force._**

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**_Meeting Kanou-a _**

**_Chapter Four : Exploring_**

Kevin huffed angrily. If _this_ wasn't irritating, _nothing_ else is.

Banging at the door of the bathroom, Kevin snapped for the umpteenth time, "Get the hell outta there, Tennyson! You're not the only one who needs to take a bath here!"

Ben, from within the bathroom, sat up in the bathtub. He had zoned out in the bathtub... yet again.

Grumbling, he ran his fingers through his wet hair, slicking it back, as he continued to smile thinking of the aquatic friend he had gained. Those blue eyes like sparkling water... Every time Ben touched water or anything cool, he would be reminded of those blue eyes; and of the pale skin glistening wet under the light of the evening sun; of the sparkling sapphires dazzling under the light; of the black hair sticking to the broad shoulders and strong neck; of that slim abdomen finally joined to a the smooth cyan-blue-green tail...

"_Tennyson?!_" came the muffled shout from the other end and Ben started for the last time. Gasping, he quickly got out of the tub in a heave and dried himself.

"If I stay too much in the water, and then later in the seawater and all, I might shrivel up! After all, I'm not a merman to constantly require water in contact, right?"

He remembered Kanou-a tell him about the important fact; mermen need to be in the water for at least once in ten minutes, or they would dry up and die. _Pretty familiar_ Ben had thought, _about humans dying if they didn't have air._

Kevin growled under his breath, feeling his blue shorts itch from the sand that had deposited onto his skin after his lifeguard drill. Then he paused his sour thoughts when he heard a click and Ben finally opened the door which Kevin had nearly worn down with knocks. Ben appeared, his gently tanned skin fresh and clean, with nothing on except a skimpy white towel around his feminine waist. He was currently in thought, gazing at the floor even as he was opening the door.

"What took you so -" Kevin spat, but he swallowed the rest of his words when the half-naked Ben lifted his head and bestowed Kevin with an unfathomable look of his acidic green eyes.

Ben nearly smiled in involuntary longing as he gazed at the raven dreamily, while the poor raven latter was spooked out of his blue flipflops.

"What the _hell_ are you staring at me like that for?!" Kevin snapped, feeling an undeniable heat reach his neck for no apparent reason. Ben blinked a couple of times, before looking embarrassed, "Eh, what?"

"You're _weirder_ than usual," Kevin pointed out angrily, "And thats _not_ good news!"

Ben blushed visibly, looking away, mumbling, "Sorry, I was thinking about something and..." his eyes wandered back to Kevin's face, and for a moment, Ben couldn't help picture blue eyes, longer hair and a loving smile on Kevin's face.

Yeah right. 'Loving' and 'Kevin' never go along together, as Ben reminded himself.

"It's that _same _effing look again!" Kevin huffed in defeat, "What do you want?! Is this some _variant_ of your puppy-dog face that Gwen so easily taught you?! In case you haven't noticed, Mr. Smoothies don't operate here, so if _that's_ what you want, I can't help ya!"

Ben blinked again.

_I really gotta stop doing that... picturing Kanou-a every time I look at Kevin... but the resemblance is uncanny..._

Musing, Ben walked away to his room as if nothing had just happened. Kevin watched him leave, stupid bafflement shining on his otherwise handsome face, faint eyebrows knitting in irritation.

"Sometimes, I really think he was an alien even _before_ he got the fricking Omnitrix!"

o.o.o

Ben grinned ear-to-ear. His conch definitely worked and he was pleased like no other. Sometimes, he was almost driven to the thought that this was all some complexly executed prank, or maybe Ashton Kutcher might pop out of nowhere with a 'Punk'd!' catchphrase.

But then again, here, sitting beside him, the vision of beauty and elegance, was the merman himself, smiling cheerfully at him with those thin but attractive lips.

"Kirby, I had wondered, for it has only been two days since we met, and I have forgotten to ask; do you swim?"

Ben blinked. Maybe the reason why Kanou-a asked such a question was probably because during the first time they had met, Ben was unconscious, floating limp under water.

"Uh, yeah, of course I do swim! I mean, two days ago, I was swimming while chasing you, right? And then I sort of lost my way, and then my breath and well, you saved me."

Ben blushed when he reminded himself of that day, and of the awe that had spread through him when he had opened his eyes and bestowed beautiful merman for the first time.

Kanou-a smiled. "Ah, yes of course." And then he leaned forward, towards Ben, taking one tanned hand in his beautifully boned ones, "Would you like to go for a swim with me?"

Ben's face lit up, his lips parting in surprise. Why had this thought never occurred to him?!

"Y-yeah, sure!" Ben beamed, his cheeks lighting up in a haze of pinkish red. Kanou-a found that very appealing, and only gazed with his blue, blue eyes.

So, as Kanou-a slipped off the rock and into the waters, Ben climbed to his feet, and looked over the edge. Taking a deep breath, he swan-dived into the water.

o.o.o

Ben swam well. For a human of course.

As he swam slow under the water, he was fascinated by the sight of Kanou-a, beaming at him, his black hair spreading all around him in the water, like soft clouds of delicate silk. His skin yet again never failing to mesmerise with its alabaster glow and texture, especially under the water. His eyes seem to sparkle even more, that Ben found it hard at a point to hold his breath in.

Meanwhile, Kanou-a was enjoying himself; merman side of his body gave him the superior advantage, his streamlined body made it effortless to swim with just the slightest flick of his powerful tail, so he swam circles and circles around the brunette as the later tried to catch up, or copy him, only leading him to lose his breath and hurry to the surface, to flick out his brunette head dramatically, gasping in a great amount of air.

Only Kanou-a's forehead and eyes appeared above the surface of the water, as he mirthfully peered at Ben slicking back his now dark hair, and wiping the water off his mouth and eyes as he chuckled, "C'mon! Your aquatic lineage give you advantage over me! You're a good swimmer, man!"

The rest of the merman's face and his shoulders, coated with a transparent film of the seawater, appeared above the surface smiling, "Thank you, you are not so bad yourself, for a creature that has no tail!"

"I'm... gonna take that as a complement," Ben grinned.

"It was meant to be one," Kanou-a answered.

And for no apparent reason, they stared at each other before bursting to laughter.

Soon, they went swimming again.

Ben had used the conch to call for Kanou-a a little earlier than the last two times they met, which was around the evening. Now, it was afternoon, and the sun blazed in the sky warm and fresh, shining down on the silvery blue of the ocean. Ben was having a wonderful time paddling idly through the water with a slow-moving merman swimming besides him like a talking dolphin.

"What are you wondering, Kirby?"

"I was just thinking," Ben mused, looked up at the indigo sky as he swam on his back, paddling with his legs, "How it must be to live in the water, you know, like _you_ do?"

Kanou-a smiled, "Ah, its rather nice; but there's not much I can say, for this is how I have been living since I was a little child, and it is all natural and normal to me. So I wouldn't know what is normal or not, for you."

"Hmm..." Ben mused.

"Unless, of course," Kanou-a fidgeted a little unsurely, "You would like to experience it for yourself?"

Ben turned his face from the warm sunlight to his side, where Kanou-a looked at him with eyes that wanted a 'yes' for an answer. Rolling and letting himself swim on his tummy again, Ben blinked at him, "What do you mean?"

"I could show you my kingdom; the mermen, mermaids, and all the merpeople; our world, under the sheet of fantasy which is all that humans know. I could show you all sorts of creatures, animals and plants that never had come under the eyes of a land-walker; I could show you places under the waters that humans never trampled. Would you let me show you?"

Ben gaped. Not only was the offer so magnetising, but the look on Kanou-a's face was so appealing that if had he said "No" he would have had a cold iron heart. Which he didn't. Not when Kanou-a could melt any heart like cotton candy in a kid's mouth.

"D-dd... yeah!" Ben grinned widely, "That'd be so cool!"

Kanou-a's face lit up in excitement, but it soon gave way to concern when he saw Ben look suddenly doubtful.

"Are you reconsidering?" Kanou-a asked carefully. He didn't want to force his new terrestrial friend, but he wanted to show Ben all sorts of places underneath the blue-green waters of the sea.

"No, but; isn't it a bit... _impractical_?" Ben asked, "I mean, I _am_ a human; I got no gills and fins, only lungs that need air and has little capacity to hold it. How will I hold my breath for so long down there?! I might get a brain haemorrhage if I didn't breathe underwater!"

Kanou-a hummed acknowledging, "Of course... I had forgotten that little detail... but no matter."

He pulled closer to the brunette, catching him off-guard. Kanou-a and Ben were now inches away from each other, a little below the shoulders in water, while a pair of thin legs and one powerful tail kept them afloat with slow movement.

"KK...Kanou-a ?" Ben stammered, when Kanou-a pulled himself closer. In close-up, he was a greater shimmering sight, and in such proximity, he smelt of a very exotic water lily.

The merman's fair right-hand lifted and he put out his forefinger. Ben was too paralysed in confusion to do anything or even move. He gave out a soft gasp when the cold fingertip pressed on his warmer skin, under his collarbones. Green eyes kept staring wide at the blue irises, which in turn were looking at Ben's chest. The fingertip moved in a particular manner; he was tracing something, a sort of symbol on Ben's chest, between the clavicle and the sternum.

Small tingly feelings emanated from where Kanou-a's fingertip touched, not to mention the numbing of his mind at the sweet smell and curious heat generating from Kanou-a 's otherwise cool body.

Kanou-a then smiled, as he removed his finger from Ben's skin. The blue irises, (into which Ben had been gazing) moved to catch Ben's green pair.

The stumped brunette blinked once or twice.

Kanou-a moved back a little, only an inch, so as to not make Ben feel cornered or imposed upon. Smiling, he looked pointedly to Ben's neck, "There. All done."

"Eh?!" Ben squeaked, looking down at himself, to see a small pentacle within a circle, drawn on his skin. The symbol, the size of a small pendant, glowed yellow; and it's glow was faintly pulsing. Looking back up with his gaping mouth and wide eyes, Ben mumbled, "Uh... what is ?...?"

Kanou-a smiled his same old lovely smile, "The pentacle represents magic. I have used a bit of my magical abilities to give you the power to breathe underwater. You can do so, not for just today, but for any number of days, provided I allow it. Which I do. The spell symbol will be visible only when you are in the water; and on land, it will simply disappear from sight."

Ben's gape transformed into an open-mouthed grin. His hands almost automatically flew to the sides of his neck, as if groping for something.

"No, Kirby, you have grown no gills nor fins," Kanou-a answered that question whose answer Ben was trying to find, and adding, "It's all the magic of the water element I have."

"Woah...that's so rad! ...And I don't even feel weird!" Ben gasped, "So I can still breathe above water too, right?""

"Of course," Kanou-a replied.

A pause later, the merman's face gave a new expression, one which he had never bestowed Ben with, until now. A mirthful grin of mischief; making him more identical to Kevin for a moment.

"Uh oh, I know that look- " Ben started, but in a surprisingly fast movement, Kanou-a wrapped his strong muscular arms around Ben's upper body under the water, and...

_Plunge!_

Ben did not even have the chance to suck in a gulp of air. All he could do was give out a 'squeee!' and wind his own slim arms around the strong column of neck, his chest crushing against the merman's, the small beads of pearls and pieces of sapphire pressed sandwiched between the skins of their abdomens.

A few moments of stillness, still clinging to the body of the merman, Ben refused to open his eyes, under the alarm of the primal instinct of humans to freak out when there's no air in their mouths while being under the water. But there was only the familiar buzz of water against his ears, the soft coolness of the water licking him all over, the gentle weightlessness and the soft floating sensation.

He felt the gentle, warm but otherwise cold arms slowly open and release their hold on Ben. Ben too let his arms loose. Opening his eyes fearfully, Ben slowly focused on the smiling merman, whose mouth opened and he spoke slow, "Look, Kirby... you are breathing effortlessly."

The voice sounded eerily echo-ish, but otherwise the same. With the low hum of the water in the background. Ben blinked, slowly daring his sense to breathe in a long gulp.

To his surprise, he was actually breathing normal. It was very unsettling for a few moments; the visual of being underwater, but the feel of breathing as if on land; the mismatched combination was taking its time to register in his mind. Blame the human instincts imprinted into his DNA!

_Guess some habits die hard_, Ben thought.

Kanou-a knew it would take Ben a few moments to be familiar with the odd feeling, so he watched as Ben took more a more careful breaths, his green eyes closed as if he were trying to decipher the feeling in his mind. The sight of the brunette at that particular moment, made Kanou-a burn in the cheeks. He felt that curiosity churn in his stomach, that urge to lift his hands and touch the brunette's very warm sun-kissed skin. But he held back, for he knew it would put Ben in more of a stupor than he was already in.

After a bit longer than Kanou-a wanted, Ben opened his eyes. The sparkle of excitement and joy made Kanou-a sigh.

"This feels awesome!" Ben spoke for the first time under the water, himself sounding echo-ish and eerie, but not so bad once he got used to it.

"Wonderful!" Kanou-a smiled, "I hope I didn't scare you so; when I pulled in you into the water without any warning?" he twiddled his fingers embarrassedly. "I suppose some odd childishness took over me, I apologize..."

Ben laughed, (which also freaked him out a little to be doing underwater, but he got over it the next second) and spoke, "No, I think it was kinda hot."

Uh oh.

Ben blushed that he had let his gay-side slip a little.

Kanou-a cocked his head, "Hot?" and he placed his palm to his own face and neck, "But I am still the same temperature I was...?"

Ben bit his lip trying to not laugh at the uncomprehending merman. The guy was right; humans _did_ tend to bend the words, using phrases that have no relevance literally.

The brunette shook his head and grinned, "Forget that; show me what you wanted to! I am like _so_ excited to see!" Ben would have jumped up and down if there was ground to jump on.

The merman's face lit up further and he reached out a hand in a gesture of 'hold my hand', and for a second, it very much looked like a half-bruised Kevin who has saved him once during an alien attack involving a very angry Hybrid and an atomic accelerator. Nasty stuff it was, that day. But Kevin had saved him, when he was wedged between two concrete slabs in the building about to collapse and the Omnitrix a stubborn, uncooperative red.

The way Kevin had reached out with all his will to save him, it matched the uncanny identical face of the loving merman; only so many details differentiated the two.

Ben smiled, putting out his hand and letting the merman's fingers lock with his. A tingling warm moment later, he was pulled forward, and was swimming alongside the merman, both driven by the strong effortless force of the tail.

o.o.o

"Oh I had so much fun!" Ben grinned as he and the merman swam their way to the shore.

After four long hours of underwater exploration, Ben was stumped about how much he and humans didn't know. Altogether, what made this all the more fun was the fact that the beautiful merman was with him; because his presence alone was appealing.

And now, it was time to go; he knew Julie and Gwen would come searching for him after their surfing classes and he did NOT want to be confronted by the motherly cousin at all.

Ben and the merman swam up to a large jagged rock poking out of the surface of the water. Even before Ben could ask, Kanou-a (who was behind him) placed his cool palms on either side of Ben's petite waist and hoisted him up. Ben crawled up the rock and sat on it. Kanou-a did not need such help, he only bounded with a forward thrust and he was plopped beside Ben on the rock a moment later.

They spent a few minutes talking and laughing. They were at the moment discussing about a few aquatic animals and comparing them with the land creatures.

"So, in conclusion, wasn't all you saw wonderful?" Kanou-a smiled.

Ben nodded eagerly, "Wow it was all really amazing! I mean, to see so many merpeople at once, for a second, I felt like as if I was the odd-one-out, which I was actually. But it was so cool! And all that magic stuff too! It just looks like a village or town submerged under the water; kinda like the sunken City of Atlantis! Wow! But, damn the fact I couldn't see your castle though!"

"Yes well, you would be spotted, the security is extremely powerful and they would immediately sense you easily; you are like a shell of voidness; a body with no magic. They would immediately spot you standing out among us all!"

"Oh... so I guess having the Omnitrix does not mean magic?"

"Unfortunately, I suppose it doesn't."

"Humans are not welcome there, are they?" Ben asked quietly. Kanou-a turned to him and shrugged, "I'm sorry but you are correct; humans are meddlesome creatures; they are inquisitive and clever but once a little _too much_ beyond their want is given to them, they go blind and greedy for more. They are easily swept by an insatiable want for domination; we cannot let them know of us, or they would doom us the way they have doomed the land creatures."

Kanou-a took a look at the blinking Ben and then gasped, "Oh I'm so sorry, I forgot you were one of them! I wasn't condescending on you! I ... I didn't mean that you are like that, I meant..."

"You are absolutely right, Kanou-a " Ben sighed, "We kinda get consumed by our desires, yeah, that's us humans."

Kanou-a placed a warm hand on the smaller shoulder, "I... the world of the merpeople may hate humans; once I did too. But, I could never hate _you_, Kirby. Not if I wanted, not if I didn't. I just couldn't if I tried!"

Ben looked up from his gaze on his toes. The blue eyes were so large and full of hurt guilt.

It made Ben's heart race a moment just looking at him so dense and ... loving.

"Uh, thanks.. I know you didn't mean me when you said all that."

"Good. For I couldn't live with myself if I knew I'd hurt your feelings. Odd that we have met for only three days, that too only a few hours each; yet I feel closer to you than I had to anyone ever before..." Kanou-a spoke, his voice low and almost a soft whisper. A clump of long, wet, black hair slipped to fall over one of the blue eyes.

Ben smiled, feeling that weird tingle grow into a blaze in the middle of his chest. The pentacle drawn under his neck pulsed a little, before disappearing.

"Kanou-a ... " Ben spoke, raising a hand to push aside the lock of hair, so he could see both the sparkling blue eyes and the faint glow of red on the glistening ivory cheeks. There was some sort of rapture between them, a silent pull, tendrils of feelings winding around and around, gripping them together and closer.

Kanou-a breathed very carefully, leaning in ever so unnoticeably, when suddenly, his eyes went wide. Ben blinked and noticed Kanou-a's lips go blue.

"Kanou-a?" Ben called gently, placing both his hands on the shoulders, "Kanou-a..? Kanou-a! Can you hear me?!"

Ben was panicking; Kanou-a was not responding, but going limp. He was groaning however, in grazed dry tones; one hand clutching his own throat, other holding Ben's arm for support. He was falling sideways, so Ben held him, almost crying in the desperately confused state, "What's happening?! You look fricking sick!"

"Urkk!" was all Kanou-a could manage to speak, until his entire body fell sideways on the rock, and Ben being too slim could not prevent him. Crawling into his hands and knees, Ben held the pale face in his hands, "What?! Say something! What should I do? What's happening..."

Kanou-a winced in pain; he was trying to say something but he couldn't. He looked unable to breathe...

"Oh my God!" Ben suddenly gasped. He got it now; he turned to look over his shoulder and realised that the merman's tail had not been dipping in the water for ten minutes.

Ben whispered, "Its ok, I got it!" in a reassuring tone, sitting up quickly. The dehydrated merman watched with blurry eyes as Ben switched on the Omnitrix and a flash of green light came, blinding him.

The next moment, Kanou-a saw a creature. It was magnificently large, made of tough orange skin, large arms of iron muscles quickly scooped him up not a moment late.

_Kersplash!_

Humungoasaur jumped into the water with his friend in his arms. Under the water, he let the merman slip out of his arms and watched as Kanou-a remained motionless in the water, almost as if dead, until his tail suddenly twitched and he shook himself to liveliness, gasping in a large amount of the water-air; the blue of his lips quickly gave way to pink, the sickly look of his skin dissolved to its ivory glory. His movements were fluid again.

Hummungasaur sighed n relief.

When he felt the need the need to breathe, the large alien bobbed to the surface, waiting for the merman to appear. Kanou-a's head soon appeared, flipping up the long hair.

"My, that was terrifying... !" he mumbled about his dehydration, until his blue eyes fell on the huge dinosaur-like head peering at him, the look of childish concern mismatching the tough bad-ass face.

"Goodness,... what .. _Kirby_?!" Kanou-a gasped in awe, he had to look up all the way to see the face. Hummugasaur chuckled, and pressed on the odd black-and- green symbol on his chest. Again the flash of green light, making Kanou-a look away a moment. When he looked back, he saw Ben.

"Sorry if I scared you; that was Humungasaur, one of the aliens from the Omnitrix?" Ben held up his left wrist, to show him the blinking buzzing gadget, fresh after use.

"Quite marvellous!" Kanou-a beamed.

Then Ben came closer, looking all over him, "You are alright, right? I mean, you scared the hell outta me! I thought it was 'cause of something I said! I'm so sorry!"

Kanou-a blinked and then laughed nervously, "Actually, I am the one to apologize; I was so wrought in your presence, and so interested in talking to you, that I had forgotten to keep my tail in the water. No matter; I am fine now."

"Oh, ok," Ben let his heartbeat fall into a calmer pace, "But next time, we gotta _not _forget that, right?"

"Of course."

The colours of the setting sun played upon the sky, making the two turn to watch the lovely expanse of hues. It was their reminder that it was time to part. Some of the red, orange, yellow light fell upon the human and merman, making them both smile at each other.

"I had a good time, Kanou-a. Maybe tomorrow, you can show me more places?" Ben blinked eagerly.

"Yes! I have so much more to show you!" Kanou-a chuckled, "I will be counting seconds, Kirby."

Ben watched as the merman turned after bestowing a dazzling smile and a "Goodbye!"

Soon, in a flick of a tail he was gone. Ben grinned to himself, and swam his way to the shoreline.

- End of Chapter –

* * *

_**Ooh! a near-kiss! :P im so evil! **_

_**actually, i find it odd tht two ppl who just met shud like each other so quickly, but, considering kanou-a is smoking hot, and ben is really cute,... eh wht the hell, rite?**_

_**more romance coming soon! :D**_

_**Keep reading! :D and reviewing! **_


	5. Fun-induced and sleep-deprived

**_yes, stuffedtoycuddler, we all wish we had a kevin-like merman... ofcourse, ben wud not approve of that, and afterall, things are genuine if theres only one of it in the whole world.. sigh. (looking around) srry, was i drifting off?_**

**_oopsy! :D_**

**_and omg! YaoiQueen17 called me te Yaoi Queen! uwaa! :D still cant get over it!_**

**_And yes, dear Guest, tht merman hell yeah wants benji! Wink wink!_**

**_lets continue the tale of the beautiful merman and the cute xenomorph!_**

**_warning : this story is contains Boys Love meaning gay. pls watch ur step! :D_**

**_disclaimer : i donot own ben ten alien force. _**

* * *

**_Meeting Kanou-a _**

**_Chapter Five : Fun-induced and Sleep-deprived_**

Kevin raised an eyebrow.

It was the next day. That morning, Kevin and Ben were having breakfast, Gwen and Julie (having finished theirs) had wandered off trying to find their surf-coach to flirt with. And left alone, Kevin had ample time to wonder what was so weird about his best friend.

Kevin was dressed in a blue loose shirt and black Bermudas; his shirt was open to a few buttons at the neck, giving anyone (who glanced) a nice view of his pale attratctive collarbones. Ben dressed the same, but instead of a shirt, he wore a green vest that hung cutely on his slim body.

Kevin wondered what part of his own attire made Ben keep looking at him; the green eyes were practically taking every chance to look at him, and even now, as the raven downed his glass of tropical orange juice, he could feel the burning gaze of emerald eyes that bore at the back of his strong neck.

Urgh, it irritated the raven to no end. A vein pulsed on his forehead.

"_Seriously, Ben, are you insane?!"_ Kevin growled annoyed as he turned around, and Ben seemed to snap out of a reverie as he blinked stupidly at the raven, "Whu?"

"You keep staring at me! As much as I'm_ flattered_, your gazing is part _annoying_ and part _gay_!"

_Oomph,_ Ben's mind snapped_, I can't let him know I'm gay! And I can't let him know I'm in love with a merman, who coincidentally happens to looks like him! But I just can't wait till it hits afternoon to meet Kanou-a, so I have to make do with staring at this guy and it's freaking him out!_

Ben blinked obliviously. Ben was not rather good at thinking AND talking at the same time.

"_Tennyson?!_"

"Uh yeah? Oh sorry, but you have up crumbs in your hair!" Ben blurted out as an excuse. He quickly got up from his seat and shrugged, "I'm heading out to the beach." _And search for Kanou-a._

Ben scooted off, having been freed from Kevin's smouldering gaze when the raven lifted his eyes to eye his ebony fringe for the said crumbs.

Kevin stared open-mouthed in confusion as he watched the slim brunette sashay out of the house, narrowly missing the chair onto which he almost tripped. Kevin blinked once or twice, before frowning.

_Yeah right! So I've been having crumbs like all the time in my hair, huh?! Idiot doesn't even remember his stupid eye twitches when he lies! _

_Wait a second..._

A thought dawned on him suddenly. Like a lightbulb. Quick and striking.

"Hey!" Kevin shouted after the brunette who had disappeared, "Who's gonna _wash the dishes_?!" and getting no reply, he grumbled as he sat in the empty kitchen.

"Fuck you, Tennyson!"

o.o.o

Ben trembled in excitement. He could not even keep himself quiet as he was asked to.

"C'mon, Kanou-a! Lemme look already!"

"No peeking, dearest Kirby! Your patience is as thin as the clouds in the sky!" came the merman's voice from behind him. Since they were under the sea again, his voice was deep, mellow and slow with a hint of innocence; simply beautiful to Ben's ears.

The merman held his pale hands over the eyes of the brunette. Glowing on the raven's otherwise mature face was a look of childish mischief as he beautifully grinned with his pearly whites in excitement. His tail gently moved forward and backward, keeping himself and the lovely Kirby in place.

It was afternoon. Kanou-a was summoned by Ben again; and the merman had taken the happy brunette to the depths of the ocean for another round of exploration of flora and fauna that had escaped the human eye. After about an hour or so, the merman suddenly had covered Ben's eyes with the words "I want to show you something! Some _things_ actually!"

And now, Ben could hardly keep from squirming in excitement.

The merman and Ben together swam forward in the water, with Ben still blinded by his hands, till the raven paused.

Soon, the pale jelly-cold hands moved lower and sideways, to let Ben open his green eyes. Ben was far too intent on the surprise to notice Kanou-a's fingers gently brush across his cheeks as if to stroke the soft tan skin.

"Holy shit!" Ben gaped.

The brunette recoiled in surprise and shock. Quickly, he backed up in heightened fear, resulting in his slim back pressing hard against the chiselled chest of the aquatic friend who actually chuckled.

Cool arms wound comfortingly around the slimmer tan waist, and then the corner of Ben's mind decided this was not so bad. Nonetheless, the rest of his mind was screaming in terror at what his eyes saw.

Eels.

Hundreds of them! All fluorescent ice-blue, swimming like metre- long snakes in and out a rocky formation on the floor of the ocean, with it being coloured by pretty mosses. Amidst the dark background of the dense underwater, these creatures seemed to glow like long flashes of moonlight. For a moment it looked beautiful.

But then, Ben also noticed the small sparks and 'shizz' sounds emitted around each. And being a hero, he always weighs the cons before the pros.

Ben whipped around and grabbed Kanou-a around the abdomen in a reflex action of wanting protection. Kanou-a only found that adorable.

Chuckling sweetly, Kanou-a re-wrapped his arms assuring around the petite form, whispering, "No need to be afraid, Kirby! These are not the eels that humans know; theses are what we merpeople call Maekelars. They spark like that, but they are not harmful."

The head buried in the ivory skin lifted and a one green eye looked at him comically, "You sure?"

Kanou-a looked down at him, and laughed softly, "Of course!"

Ben blinked a few, and for a fraction of a second he marvelled how close his lips were to Kanou-a's. Then as he moved away, thankful that his blush was disguised as reddening from fear, he stared doubtfully at the beautiful dreamy creatures, lazily weaving in the rocks.

"Ok, I gotta admit they look kinda... _pretty_!" Ben spoke in awe, slowly accepting the sight. They had cute eel-like faces, and long snake-like bodies with long strands of whiskers extending from red and exposed gills. They looked really beautiful. Even the sparks that emanated every now-and-then were beautiful.

"Come," Kanou-a smiled, and the merman moved towards the creatures, Ben suddenly held him back by his pale arm, gasping, "Oh, no you don't! I'm fine with watching! Seriously, I am!" he smiled pathetically, making the merman raise an eyebrow.

"Its alright, Kirby!" he beamed innocently again, making Ben's resolve melt. He was dazed enough to let the merman hold his hand and tug him softly to swim. Closer and closer they got to the Maekelars, the more Ben feared. By the time they were near them, Ben gripped Kanou-a's white arm from top to fingers as he clung for his life, "I-I really don't think I should! Fuck, I have had a very scarring episode with an eel once!"

It was not a good one. It involved Ben as a curious ten year old, and the Sushi section of the Mall. How was he to know the 'dead' eels in the basket were alive?!

"They won't hurt you. Especially not when I am with you. Look!" Kanou-a's voice beckoned as Ben held on to his arm. Opening his eyes he realised that the some of the Maekelars had taken the fancy of Kanou-a and now swam around him. Ben gently let go of him and moved back as he watched the euphoric sight; the glowing-skinned merman smiling lovingly at the long moonlit eels sliding around him in slow movements. Kanou-a lifted an arm and touched the one near his face, and it nuzzled against his face lovingly. Another one swam around his arm, and another weaved happily in and out his soft silken hair. The creatures were definitely at peace with him. Like little pets happily cuddling to a loving master.

Funnily, it reminded Ben of still of Snow White sitting among the animals, in that Disney classic movie that Gwen forced him to watch when he was younger. Only, this was far more surreal; to watch something more beautiful and breathtaking as the merman.

_God, he's gorgeous..._

The beautiful face slowly spoke as Kanou-a fondled the little ones squirming around his hands playfully, "Meakelars are relatively gentle and shy creatures. They posses great powers of healing, making them of extreme importance among the merpeople. The merpoeple ask them for assistance when there are very serious health issues among us, and in return, we treat them with love and respect, and protection. My father makes sure that the Maekelars are always safe in his Kingdom. And look..." he smiled at them, "... these creatures know a merperson, so they are accustomed to me and my powers. If you draw closer," he glanced at Ben with a smile, bestowing the cool blue eyes at him, "... they will acknowledge you as my friend and warm up to you, too." His face turned completely to him, his blue eyes beckoning softly, "Don't you want to touch something so beautiful?"

Ben blinked at him. _Then I should just touch YOU. But these eels are close enough to be cute, so I guess it wouldn't hurt..._

"Well?" Kanou-a asked.

"Uh? ... I mean, yeah, uh, I guess I'd give it a try..." Ben stammered, looking embarrassed to space out. Kanou-a looked at him and chuckled, "You awfully like to be in deep thought, don't you? What do you always think so, Kirby?"

"Eheheh..." Ben scratched at his chin nervously. _You don't wanna know... _Ben swam a little doubtfully towards the merman and the little eels.

Ben's face sported a gentle frown of fear although Kanou-a could see light of curiosity flickering in his emerald irises. Ben slowly inched closer, his eyelids scrunching as the eels slowly began to notice the vessel-with-no-power, which was Ben. Soon enough, Kanou-a watched as Ben's fear changed to glee, the frown being wiped away quickly. The brunette gave out a string of girly giggles as the Maekelars circled him, and tickled his forearms and neck, twirling around his lightly tanned skin. A few blotches of pink stained Ben's cheeks as he started to like the cute little eels, lifting his hands to caress a few that were patient enough to stop moving.

It was Kanou-a's turn to step back, (swim back, actually) and watch the adorable sight with glazed admiring eyes.

_Oh dear Gods of the Sea, he is gorgeous..._

"Hihihi! That tickles!" Ben chuckled with an eye closed, his left shoulder jumping up against his jaw as one of the eels bravely swept under his arm. In turn another actually licked him in the abdomen, lower right side to be precise, making Ben laugh and squirm the other way. Kanou-a couldn't help but smile at the brunette helplessly laughing at the Maekelars who had understood Ben to be Kanou-a's friend, which was why they were fondling up to him rather than disappear from view as the usually do when humans were close to spotting them.

"Look, Kirby, they like you!" Kanou-a observed happily. Ben looked at him, eyes shining pleasantly, "Only 'cause they like _you_, right?"

"Well," Kanou-a shrugged looking away, "Or maybe you are hard to _not_ like?"

Ben blinked at him, the wheels of his mind whirring but quickly stopping when the eels demanded more attention from the lovely brunette, by licking him whenever the softly-tanned skin showed. Ben replied with more chuckles.

o.o.o

The Maekelars were only first of more to see for Ben. Kanou-a seemed more eager than yesterday as he swam from place to place, eagerly showing his land-friend more creatures and plants that awed him to no end. Well, yesterday, Ben had seen a lot, but it seems the ocean or sea had more hidden secrets that would take days to uncover altogether. Like several sunken ships, for instance, which triggered some of Ben's childhood fantasies of being a pirate. Like that ever happened.

Kanou-a continued to show him all kinds of things. At one point, he pulled the brunette behind a rock formation and whispered, "Look Kirby!" he peered over from the side as if hiding from someone. Ben, who stayed beside him, followed his line of sight, but he saw nothing but dull, dense, bushy moss studded all over a wall of rock.

Kanou-a lifted a hand and pointed a finger in the direction of the wall, and a rush of water shot out the end of his fingertip like a dart. Ben watched with an open-mouthed grin as the 'dart' of water zoomed and hit the wall, making the moss suddenly light up like silent fireworks. Ben gave out a gasp of "Woah!" as several fluorescent colours erupted and flit across the wall like fancy lighting. A blink later it was gone.

"Those are special plants that respond to stimuli with light. Beautiful, isn't it? But we must stay hidden, for those plants are rather aggressive."

Ben turned to him, his eyes wide, "How aggressive?"

Kanou-a solemnly replied, "We had to recruit _twenty_ mermen to free Saneila last year, when she prodded the plants a little too much!"

o.o.o

It was not just watching that Ben did. Kanou-a at times showed him things that merpeople ate, which, it was worthy to mention, could be eaten by humans too. Aside from obvious aquatic edible creatures, they ate other weird plants too. Ben watched as Kanou-a disappeared behind a bunch of bushes and returned with what looked like a blue hibiscus.

"Here!" Kanou-a offered Ben the flower cheerfully. Ben blushed and accepted it, lifting it to his nose, "Thanks..." sniffing gently at it and finding to his surprise it had no smell at all.

"Go on, eat it."

"Like, whu?!" Ben raised an eyebrow in surprise, blushing further in realisation, "Oh you mean like, you eat this flower?!"

"Yes!" Kanou-a beamed, "Try it, I'm sure you will love it!"

Ben looked doubtfully at him, his brown eyebrows cocking a bit. He felt like a cow as he moved the flower to his lips. Unaware of Kanou-a's intent blue eyes gazing at him, Ben cutely nibbled on one of the blue petals. A moment or two later, Ben had snatched three petals wholesomely into his mouth, gasping, "OH! Its _fucking_ sweet!"

Kanou-a raised both his slim eyebrows, asking innocently, "I am sorry, but what does 'fucking' mean?"

Ben's eyes that had been closed as he savoured the sweetness, opened in a flash, a rush of red running across his cheeks as he stammered whilst chewing, "Uh, ... its an.. expression of... showing deeper emphasis. You know?"

"Oh, I see..." Kanou-a nodded understandingly. _So, if I were to say you are fucking beautiful,..._. his train of thought broke as he laughed seeing the entire flower disappearing from view, Ben having eaten it all.

"I told you you'd like it, Kirby!" the merman laughed.

o.o.o

Kanou-a grabbed Ben's wrist and tugged to direct him to another side of the ocean floor, where more dense plants grew. Ben waited as the merman searched for something amongst colourful sea anemone, and pulled out his hands. Swimming up to Ben, he held out both his pale palms cupped carefully. Resting in the so-formed hold, were several beads of red and orange, glistening glossily.

"Have one." And seeing the hesitation in the green eyes, Kanou-a nodded, "Yes, it's a delicacy."

Ben, now rather used to the oddities that tasted sweeter than it looked, happily picked one of the beads and popped it into his mouth. He closed his eyes and searched his mind for his sweetstuff-playlist as his saliva worked on the what-ever-it-was.

"Mmm!" Ben moaned, "I'm psyched! It tastes like... cotton candy!"

Kanou-a tilted his head in wonder. He was not sure what 'psyched' meant, but seeing the dreamy look on Ben's face, he guessed it was something meaning he enjoyed it. And as to what cotton candy is, Ben guessed that the merman had no idea, so he didn't wait for the raven to ask.

"Cotton candy is a delicacy humans make. It's like a ball of pink fluff, tastes really sweet. I think they sell it at the beach refreshment stalls," Ben rolled the candy-like bead in between his tongue and the roof of his mouth, as he tapped his chin childishly, "Yeah, I think they _do_ sell 'em... hey, you know what?" he turned to Kanou-a who gazed back, "Kanou-a, I'll get some for you when we go back up, ok?"

Kanou-a smiled appreciatively, "Surely, thank you."

"Oh, damn, these are _good_!" Ben nodded absentmindedly, relishing the sweetness, "What are these things called anyway?"

"Ah, dearest Kirby, I highly doubt you would be able to pronounce the name as it is. Just consider it, solidified cotton candy?"

"Hehe, yeah, I think that's better; ok!"

"It's rather good for health, too! Considering that it has even been used in the ingredients for several powerful potions; by the witches and warlocks. And yet how easily it is made, although it is just excreta to its creator, it is of utmost importance for -"

Ben froze, and his face went stark pale for a moment, his pupils shrinking to pricks in his irises. It was like Thor's Hammer had struck down on his head.

"E-excreta?" Ben's eyelid twitched.

Kanou-a looked at him solemnly, and answered as-a-matter-of-fact, "Why yes, here, Kirby!" he pointed to the bush he had dug the delicacy from. Ben stiffly swam towards the bush with Kanou-a, and peered at the several, red, globulous worms that chewed lazily upon the moss, and in turn, the beads just popped off their rears.

Kanou-a smiled down at the worms as if it was nothing, "Marvellous, isn't it? That something considered useless to the worm is of such ..." he turned to Ben, and gasped in worry, "Oh, Kirby, are you alright?"

Ben's face had turned the same colour of his Omnitrix and eyes.

o.o.o

After his not-so-sweet experience with that-worm-stuff, Kanou-a decided it was high time they quit food-hunting. As they swam idly along the cool water, they laughed and chatted happily. Ben was reciting the story of the Little Mermaid, which fascinated Kanou-a greatly. He watching mirthfully as Ben spoke, with his mouth and hands, describing the story.

"... and then Ursula started growing huge; like Godzilla huge; towering above the ocean, stirring the sunken ships and..."

Kanou-a laughed, finding human conception of a fairytale extremely interesting. By the time Ben was done story-telling, Kanou-a had led him into a valley-like place deep in the ocean floor.

"..and they lived happily ever after." Ben concluded proudly, beaming as he swam expertly under the practice of his hours-long exploration.

Kanou-a smiled, "And you seemed to have enjoyed narrating the story! And you had started by saying your cousin forced you to watch it?"

Ben blushed in embarrassment, "Yeah well, since it was shoved down my throat, I actually realised it's a neat story."

"I like the story too. The mermaid finally managed to live with the love of her life, also retaining her voice."

"Cheesy, right?" Ben grinned, even as he felt some weird longing start to tug pathetically at his heart-strings. Kanou-a didn't seemed to understand what 'cheesy' was, so Ben simply shook his head, "Never mind!"

o.o.o

Cold ivory irises stared bored into the screen. With his sharp indigo chin placed on his palm, whose elbow in turn rested on the arm of the chair, Veremnos yawned. His free hand that had hung limp at his side, lifted and brushed back his long shock-white hair from his indigo-tinged face.

"Ugh, what is taking C-Mexx so long?!" he swore angrily under his breath. Almost the next moment, the door of the room buzzed and slid aside, to reveal a lithe form. With equally blue-tinged skin, donning a black, high-tech uniform and touch-screen clipboard in hand, he walked forward and bowed respectfully, his red short hair cut to his jaw, slipped forward like short curtains on either side of his thin face.

"Commander," he greeted.

The ivory irises merely side-glanced, as Veremnos' cold voice slipped from thin taut lips, "C-Mexx; what news have you ... of Ben Tennyson?"

"Unfortunately not good ones, Commander", C-Mexx responded blankly. Rising from his bow, C-Mexx looked down at the clipboard, speaking, "The Droids we sent to abduct him have all been met with the same conditions. Severe damage. And annihilation."

"Is it?" came the smooth bemused voice.

"Yes, Commander."

Veremnos gave out an irked sigh. He lazily waved out one slim, long-fingered hand, "Prepare the alpha-Metron. Let's see if we are fruitful this time."

"Yes, Commander."

o.o.o

Ben and Kanou-a were now at the surface of the sea.

Ben laughed out loud as he raced with the merman, clearly what he was laughing at was himself loosing so easily. The merman could swim circles around him while he huffed and puffed. Kanou-a beamed, as he swam to a stop in front of his friend, his dark hair sticking to his pale forehead and marble-smooth shoulders, "Have you given up yet?"

"Ben Tennyson _never_ gives up!" the brunette sang, as he continued to trash at the surface, hoping his legs would miraculously gain speed and outwit the raven.

Wishful thinking.

Ben finally was out of breath in minutes, and he paused, signalling for a time-out wearily, "Ugh, I feel sore! Ok, you win! Hands- I mean- Fins down!" at which his merman buddy laughed some more.

And then Ben had a sudden idea, "How about you compete with one of my aliens?" he narrowed his green eyes impishly, making Kanou-a's eyebrow shoot up, "Oh? Have you a water-based one?"

"_Just _the one!" Ben switched on his Omnitrix. He stayed afloat on the surface, up to his chest in the water, Kanou-a only an arm's length away, peering curiously at the watch that showed a holographic projection of the aliens Ben could turn into. Changing the dials one by one, Ben stuck out his tongue as he concentrated. And when he found the intended one, he slapped down on it.

Kanou-a winced as he was met with blinding green light, raising his white arm to his eyes to shield his vision. When he felt the light had vanished, he lowered his arm to stare face-to-face with a ... rather terrifying creature.

Jumping back, Kanou-a's blue eyes ran doubtfully over the alien's face, "Kirby? Is that... really _you_?!"

"Not really," the grazed voice replied sneakily, "...the name's Ripjaws!"

Kanou-a's eyes stared at the exaggerated jaws lined with sharp lethal incisors, the pale sea-foam green scales, and the luminescent dangle projecting at his forehead.

"Um... you look quite..." Kanou-a blinked, unable to get the right words out without making it an insult. What could one say? Ripjaws was almost hideous!

"Horrible? Scary? Freaky? Hehehe! I get that a lot!" the Piscciss Volann smirked. Kanou-a found the grazed rough voice actually attractive.

Ripjaws grinned (which can be understood to be a terrific sight, given the size of his jaws) as he suddenly turned around and looked over his shoulder in a challenge, "But I can give you a run for your money, aqua boy!" and after a pause he added, "Or make that a _swim_ for you money!"

Kanou-a's face lit up in an excited smile as the creature shot off suddenly in spray of water and a challenging splash. Narrowing his own blue eyes, he grinned, "Not if the Prince of the Ocean can help it!" and followed suit, swimming as fast as he could with his extremely adapted body moving up and down, catching up with the Piscciss Volann.

o.o.o

"Commander!" C-Mexx quickly walked into the room, nearly breathless in anticipation, startling Veremnos who was busy going through a few reports.

"Radiations of the Omnitrix have been detected at the water body whose shore Ben Tennyson currently resides on!"

A slow curl of a smile played on the alien's face as he waved his hand again, "Well, that saves us trouble tracking him. Is the alpha-Metron prepared?"

"Yes, Commander."

"Good. Have it sent immediately," Veremnos' pale eyes shifted to the screens adorning the walls of the room, "I want that Galvan Prime's Gadget at all costs."

o.o.o

Kanou-a could not believe how fast this creature was. They were now neck-to-neck in top speed, only a blur to any other eyes that may have glimpsed, but then, the ocean had no humans on it where they swam.

"Eat my _bubbles_!" Ripjaws challenged as he inched more into speed, gaining a few feet more than Kanou-a.

"I have no idea what you speak of, Ripjaws, but I shall outwit you!" came the reply from the merman who put more 'oomph' to his own swimming and regained the leading position. The two swam the vast expense of the ocean, making sure to not go too far. When they reached quite far off the shore, they would swim back. Technically, they swam in circles.

It was all the more fun when it changed from a race into a chase; with the merman hell-bent on trying to catch the other-worldy creature rather than out-swim him. Ripjaws was having the time of his life! _I've got a super-hot merman hot on my tail! Yeowzaa!_

He sped in great velocity and then looked over his shoulder to shout more catchy phrases. Imagine his surprise when he found the merman gone. Stumped, the alien-Ben slowed down a knot, and rolled over, and swam on his back, looking around dumbly, "Yoohoo? Kanou-a?"

Suddenly, two pale arms shot out of the water from under him and grabbed him around the abdomen.

"Gyiiaaaah!" This maybe the deadly Ripjaws, but it was still Ben, hence the girly squeal.

The sudden onslaught had caught Ben in a shock, so he could do nothing but freeze as the merman grinned down his neck, "Surprised?" and in turn, regaining his cool quickly, the alien grinned back, "Sneaky, eh?"

What happened next was almost coincidence. Ripjaws twirled from within the grasp of the merman, and owing to his slimy scales, it was frictionless effort. Somehow, Ben's hand pressed accidentally to the black-green symbol as his chest and –

A bright flash of green made Kanou-a suddenly close his eyes and lower his face reflexively, feeling warmth of radiation against his wet face. When he opened his eyes again to look, it was the adorable Ben, smiling up at him.

In his embrace. Which he didn't want to loosen.

As they panted away their excitement, they sought to observe each other; for neither of them questioned the closeness.

Staring down at the opalescent emerald pools of mirth, Kanou-a nearly sighed, (not just from the visual relief from the admittedly ghastly Ripjaws' sneaky face) Ben was a sight; his face glistening with a slick layer of seawater, his dark hair sticking to his head while his fringe licked him lower the eyebrows, his eyelashes clumped in thick bunches framing his pretty large eyes, his tanned cheeks glowing pink and pinker as he realised the proximity he shared with him. His hands were folded, palms gently pressed to the merman's pecs. Even the Omnitrix seemed to blush weirdly in his presence.

Ben stared back at the vision of perfection; Kanou-a's marble smooth skin almost delectable to Ben in their moist condition, while his long black hair swept in wet clusters along his strong neck and powerful jaws and along his shoulders too. His bluest of blue eyes were shadowed with his eyelids as he gazed down at Ben, his thin pink lips a little parted in their butterfly-gentle smile. His muscular pale-skinned arms were gently holding him around the ribs and arms.

As the waves crashed and lapped gently around them, the light of the evening sun washing everywhere, they stayed afloat yet were slowly sinking; not in the water, but sinking in each other's existence. They breathed each other's salted air, drawing unnoticeably closer. Ben felt electric sparks flow up his legs as his toes brushed the merman's long cool tail that gently paddled from under to keep them afloat.

Gulping to swallow the dry lump in his throat, despite being wet to his bones, Ben found his heart hammering for release within the cage of his ribs. Something told Ben that Kanou-a was feeling the same (since his hands rested on Kanou-a's chest.)

The unshared but understood magnetisation flowed through them.

As the sun slowly inched its way to the horizon, Kanou-a moved closer to the brunette's blushing face. As Ben inched closer too, he happened to look over the side of Kanou-a's head and his eyes went saucer wide, making Kanou-a pull back in confusion. Turning his head and looking up at the sky following Ben's line of vision, Kanou-a's mouth parted in awe.

"Gwen?!" Ben gaped in grave surprise. Surely it had to be his cousin, shooting across the sky in a magenta streak of manna, fighting what seemed to be a purple robot of highly advanced design. In mid air.

_DA FUCK, NOT NOW! _Ben swore in his mind as he watched. Kanou-a too sighed, _Maybe I am cursed_...

Kanou-a turned to Ben letting his hands fall from Ben's sides, whilst smiling apologetically, "I suppose this is where you have to leave in order to save your cousin Gwen?"

Ben looked a little pained as he worried his lower lip, "Uh, yeah... so sorry,... "

"No, you must do your duty, Kirby! The safety of others stands before anything else, when one is a Saviour."

Ben smiled acknowledging his words, he then moved back to switch on the Omnitrix again. He looked at the merman, as he spoke for the first time, in serious tones, "You must stay down, Kanou-a, or you could get caught in the crossfire and I cannot let that happen!"

Kanou-a nodded, immediately finding himself enthralled by the sudden mature authority in those otherwise kitten-cute eyes. Smiling, and bidding farewell with a "See you soon, Kirby,", the merman swam away quickly and disappeared under the water.

Sighing heavily to himself, and Ben wondered what would have happened if that _stinking robot_ hadn't thrown Gwen into the air and...

The robot. Oh yeah. Where was he?

"HERO TIME!"

o.o.o

Four drenched teens made their way grudgingly to the beachhouse. They had successfully managed to defeat the large purple robot. Although not completely destroyed it, they had done some real damage on it to send it fleeing. The teens were worn out by the time it was over. And Ben was far more pissed than the three for another added reason.

Kevin frowned as he pulled irritably at his wet and clinging blue shirt that stuck to his six-pack, "There's no mistaking it; it was a Metron. An Alpha-Metron to be precise, going by its tech build."

The teens climbed into the house, and each flopping tiredly wherever they could find.

"And this Metron is...?" Gwen sighed questioningly as she jumped to sit on the marble counter separating the kitchen form the dining room.

"A really serious problem for us. It's usually used by alien invaders for abduction or even assassination. To think one's out here, in the coastal areas? Especially all those lower tech robots, mysteriously attacking us for the last two days? Sounds...fishy." Kevin sat down on a red, plastic chair shaped like an egg, internally loving the way it cradled his drenched and tired butt.

Julie groaned as she shook the sand off her shoes from her position on the floor, "Maybe it's after us?"

"Or something that usually _all_ bad guys are after..." Kevin hinted.

The three faces moved sideways and glanced at Ben. Who was at the other end of the room, currently muttering to himself and swearing his head off, kicking at the wall.

"Wonder what got him in _that_ mood?!" Gwen raised an eyebrow in amusement, watching her cousin jump on one foot, holding the one he had hurt while trying to assault the innocent wall.

"That guy has never made sense to me anyway," Kevin shook his head as he stripped off his shirt.

o.o.o

Nightfall.

Ben turned and tossed in his bed, unable to sleep. Unable to think of anything but that face gazing at him while he breathed in the cage of his strong arms... and that he almost...

"Urgh!" Ben sat up in irritation, gripping his brunette head. A few moments later, he let his hands fall from his head, and hug himself as he sighed longingly. "Would he have kissed me?" he spoke softly to himself.

Ben carefully weighed the chances whether the merman entertained romantic feelings for him as he did for the other. Kanou-a was very kind and loving, but that could easily just be his personality. Kanoua was really a gentleman and always holding his hand, but that could be how he behaved with all the other merpeople. Kanou-a liked to look at him at times with a gaze that set Ben's heart on fire, but that could just be his easily irresistible looks.

"Fuck! I've fallen for him! Really hard!" he groaned to himself defeatedly as he stared up at the bamboo-designed ceiling.

_Way ta go, Tennyson, _his mind shook its head at his heart,_ You're in love. With a merman. And you really wanna see him right now, dontchya?_

He pulled off the comforter and slung his legs off the edge of the bed. Getting up, he walked to the window, pushing aside the Hawaiian curtains and pushing up the glass pane, to enriching his green eyes with the nightly view of the dark ocean. Smiling, as he felt the cool breeze sweep circles across his face, he leaned out and placed his elbows on the cold window sill and then rested his chin on his palms.

Sighing, and breathing in the cool air, he thought more of the merman. The more he thought, the more loomed a sudden idea. A far too daring idea. It clawed at him impatiently, whining to be done. Ben stayed put as long as he could, till he could no more.

_Come on! What are you waiting for?! You're Ben fucking Tennsyon! You ALWAYS do weird stuff and get away with it!_

Straightening up, he looked over his shoulder to make sure that no one was watching. He turned back to the window and lifted his hand to his face. The hand with the Omnitrix latched on his wrist.

In the darkness of his bedroom, his face glowed in the neon-green light as he set the dial to Bigchill.

Soon, the Necrofriggian zoomed out of the beachhouse in a hurry. The alien flew up into the sky, and turned invisible to remain undetected as he swooped down and landed gently beside a familiar clumps of rocks at the beach. The uninhabited area.

Beeping back into Ben's true form, the human brunette pressed his back to the gray rocks, holding at his drumming heart, listening into the air whether there were any night-patrol guards or life-guards that had spotted him or could likely spot him later on. Thankfully there were none there, except himself.

"Phew!" Ben breathed easily.

He then put his hand into the pocket of his pajama bermuda and pulled out the enchanted conch shell. Smiling like a drug addict greeting his fix, Ben pressed his puckered lips to the hole and blew gently. Of course, no sound audible to human ears came. But Ben knew, wherever Kanou-a was, he could. And he just hoped Kanou-a might not be asleep, although guilt pounded his conscience on ruining a Prince's slumber just for a meeting.

_I can't sleep. I just want to see him. Maybe talk a bit, till I feel sleepy. I hope he won't get pissed at me... no, Kanou-a is too kind to get pissed at me._

Minutes passed. Ben clutched the thin fabric of his blue Hawaiian shirt closer around himself, shuddering as the night chill bit at his bones. It was really dark and late. Bluish moonlight lit everywhere, setting a lowlit atmosphere. The sky was pitch black with tiny shimmering stars that blinked every now-and-then, and the water of the ocean reflected the vast expanse of the sky like a mirror.

And Ben stood alone, drawing his shirt closer to himself, behind a clump of tall rocks such that no one would see him from the beach houses lining the side of the shore.

_Maybe this was a bad idea..._

Ben's face lit up when he saw a looming shadow slide under the sheet of the water than shone like black glass. The zigzagging shadow moved fast, like a shark till it reached the shore, and a glorious head slid off the water.

"Kirby..." his voice swam through the air, music to Ben's ears, "Greetings."

_You idiot! Always showing up when I think you won't come! But that's the beauty of it, I guess..._

Ben eagerly walked to the water and sat down on one of the jagged rocks jutting out to the water. Kanou-a was already sitting perched on it, his tails hanging off to make sure it always touched water.

Ben smiled at him apologetically, "I'm so sorry to call you at this time. I hope I didn't ruin your sleep?"

Kanou-a tilted his head the other way, smiling with his eyes closed, "Oh, its no matter, Kirby! I wasn't asleep to begin with!"

"You weren't?!" Ben whispered, his voice only punctuated by the soft crashing of waves against the rock they sat on.

Kanou-a replied, shaking his head, "Actually, despite all the rigorous fun we had; slumber did not come to me. I lay awake and with my mind rather blank yet cluttered, just hoping you would summon me, although I time and again told myself you would be asleep!"

"Really? And yet, here we are!" Ben smiled toothily. Kanou-a looked at him, his tail flicking idly back and forth in the water, "And why weren't you asleep, Kirby?"

Ben's grin fell as his mind fumbled for an answer. "Uh..." he blinked at the waiting merman, and then just gave out a tired sigh, "I dunno", he shrugged, "Just didn't feel sleepy. And then I just thought I'd give summoning you a try. Had only little hope that it'd actually work!"

Kanou-a shifted a little closer to him, "You're in luck, aren't you? We both are; considering I wanted you to summon me and you wanted to summon me yourself!"

Ben nodded, his mind gently flitting back to the last moments in the sunset before that good-for-nothing robot ruined it all...

"Kirby? You are shivering, is it that cold?" came the concerned voice.

Ben really was shivering visibly, for the night air was cooler tonight. Ben gave a modest shrug, hugging his knees to his chest, "Yeah, kinda chilly. But its ok..."

"Well..." Kanou-a thought to himself, and then spoke, "I know a particular part of the ocean, where the water is warm all the time. Possibly Brother Koniel created the small seclusion of warm water using his ability of the fire element. We rest there for relaxation when the water becomes too cold for us. Would you like to come?"

"Oh?! You mean like a hot spring?" Ben's eyes were wide. Kanou-a looked at the sky, and then looked at Ben innocently, "Well, I suppose. It is small, secluded and cozy too. And since it is under the ocean, I doubt anyone would ever spot you, considering you came here without informing your friends?"

Ben chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "Hehehe, yeah I snuck out." Letting his hands fall from his neck, Ben smiled, "Alright, lets go!"

Kanou-a nodded and dived off the rock and into the water. Ben stripped off his shirt and pulled off his Bermudas to reveal dark skin-tight shorts, and placed the clothes on the shore in a heap.

He almost slipped into the water, but since it was dark and the water looked creepy, Ben hesitated at the edge. Kanou-a's head popped out of the water, watching Ben intently as the brunette carefully put his foot in the water and yelped cutely, jumping back which resulted with him landing on his butt.

"Ow!" he scrunched his nose, as he rubbed at his rear, making Kanou-a giggle. Ben then shuddered with a grin, "The water's fricking cold!"

Sighing, Ben fiddled with the Omnitrix, as he spoke with his eyes on the holographic projections, "Just a sec, Kanou-a, I'll just turn into Ripjaws so that I can bear the cold water till we reach the hot spring your bro created!"

"Alright, Kirby, take your time," he nodded, smiling in awe. A flash of green later, Kanou-a heard a 'splash!' as it was that creature again, afloat in the water, beside him, grinning at him.

"Shall we?" came the grazed voice. Kanou-a peered at him and then laughed, "Alright."

Together, the two water-being swam in the direction Kanou-a led them. Soon, Ripjaws was met with an opening of a cave under the water. Kanou-a swam right into it, so the alien followed without a pause. Once inside, he could immediately feel the change in the temperature of the water; from cool-and-icy to warm to softly-gnawing heat like in the shower. The nice kind of heat.

Kanou-a smiled as he pointed to the walls of the cave curtained with dull green moss, "Behind one of the veils of moss is a secret passage I found, unknown to my brother," he swam gently towards a particular part of the wall, his voice echoing a little as he continued, while he was feeling across the wall with his shining hands, "Exploring along the passage, I found it goes to the surface and opens in the floor of a cave above the water level. The water there seems the most comfortable; I had never spoken to any about it. Rather selfish of me, it was my secluded spot, my own little private den."

Kanou-a turned to look at the alien, smiling, "And you...Ripjaws, shall be the first company I bring into the secret grotto of mine!"

Ripjaws blinked and laughed openly, "Like as if you want me to stay Ripjaws! Hahaha!" he pressed his hand to the symbol on his chest and he transformed back into the cute Ben that Kanou-a liked so much.

"Better?" Ben gestured in a ta-da manner, with a cheeky grin. Kanou-a held back the urge to blush as he smiled in relief, "Honestly, yes. Very."

Kanou-a put out a hand, which Ben was accustomed to holding.

And he let the merman lead him into a narrow passage within one of the walls. The water got a tad bit warmer as they swam through the tunnel. And finally Ben and Kanou-a reached a circular opening, that resembled the bottom of a tub. Swimming more upwards, Ben and Kanou-a reached air.

Ben's wet head looked around to see that they were in a cave, with its dark nearly-invisible walls glistening in moisture, moonlight pooling here-and-there from unseen cracks. The 'tub' Ben and Kanou-a were in was a pit on the floor of the cave. Ben smiled as he backed against the edge of the pit and relaxed as his skin felt the cool rocky wall.

There was a hazy humidity hanging in the air, making their breaths come in soft feathery puffs. Ben grinned as Kanou-a slid against the edge as well, beside him.

"Rather nice, isn't it?" Kanou-a asked, and seeing Ben's happy grin, "And what is it you find so amusing?"

"That you never took anybody up here, but me?" Ben proudly answered. Kanou-a smiled, a streak of red glazing his cheeks already pink from the warmth of the water.

"Well, I never really had someone close enough for me to bring here. My brothers are my elders, and I hardly have any I call 'friends' owing to the fact I am a prince and am highly respected and feared."

Ben smiled at him, seeing the sincere innocence in the beautiful face. Feeling a sudden glow in his chest, he asked, "So, you really trust me in on your secret hideout?"

"Yes, Kirby."

It was Ben's turn to blush as he looked away from the face radiating in some sort of a halo of irresistable sensuality. Ben stared at the glistening water, studying the patterns off it, biting his lip meanwhile. Although his green eyes were fixed on the water, his attention was on the merman beside him, who absentmindedly stretched his arms up, and raked his long beautiful hair off his face, neck and shoulder. There it was again; that porn-star move of the oblivious merman.

Ben drooled a bit, glad that his face was already preliminarily wet to disguise it.

Feeling a burn grow across his face and extend all the way to his neck and ears, and blood pooling somewhere in his body where it shouldn't be, Ben fidgeted in the water. Then he started to see something in it, a few dotty glows.

"Kanou-a, what's that?" Ben pointed at the water between them; where shone tiny firefly dots of lights blemished by the ripples of the surface of the water.

"Oh, those! Let me show you!" Kanou-a dived under. Ben followed.

A few meters under the surface, Kanou-a showed Ben several gorgeous bioluminescent flowers growing along the walls of the pit. Ben internally exclaimed it was the most beautiful sight he had seen. Other than Kanou-a, ofcourse.

"Here, Kirby," Kanou-a beamed, he had picked a flower and it floated above Kanou-a's cupped hands. Under the water, it's petals softly fluttered, giving off sun-golden and baby-pink fluorescent shades, which reflected a little on Kanou-a's pale face. As Ben peered curiously and fascinated at the flower in Kanou-a's cupped palms, the blue eyes of the merman gazed at the brunette.

It was then that Ben felt the gaze, and he moved his green irises from the flower to the face more beautiful than it. Ben blinked as he visually drank the sight of Kanou-a, the pale face, the soft eyes, the thin lips, the soft black hair billowing gently like silk in the water. And the smile that seemed denser than Ben had ever seen it to be.

Ben felt his face grow hot, as his cheeks slowly blazed magenta, and the warm water contributed to it. Kanou-a's hands cupping the flower slowly lowered, and he moved the flower aside, and it seemed to want to leave the two alone in their gazing-match, so it just floated off Kanou-a's hand. And the merman didn't even notice.

Lips parted, they stared at each other as if seeing each other for the first time. Again, wrought in that hazy fog drawing them closer, their hearts beat in a single violent drumming rhythm. Kanou-a's pale arm lifted hesitantly, and then the long fingers stroked Ben's cheek once, brushing away the swaying short strands of brown silky hair.

"_Kirby_..." he whispered, and in the warm water and echoing walls, it reverberated within Ben's chest, sending tremors up and down his spine. Ben's cheeks burnt further, as the merman leaned in more, cool fingers pressing on heated skin. Their eyes closing in synchronisation as they closed the distance between themselves.

And their lips brushed for the first time since several hidden attempts.

Kanou-a's cool gentle lips pressed softly against Ben's full ones. The burst of tingly sparks tore through both, bringing sudden life to their hesitant arms. Kanou-a reached out and held Ben's face in his both hands, whilst tilting his head one way and Ben's the other. And the angling made their lips fit like perfect gears, Ben's hand moving to embrace Kanou-a around the ribs.

Maybe it was the water itself, so warm and encouraging, that Kanou-a opened his mouth from under Ben's and his cool tongue traced luscious lines across the full flesh. Ben found his sanity slipping under his control when his mouth simply opened effortlessly to Kanou-a's wordless request. And suddenly, the soft kiss turned fierce. Kanou-a's shoulder rose as he kissed Ben full French, his fingers spreading from his face to his brown hair, holding his head firmly in place, while Ben's hands wound tighter around the jelly-cold abdomen. The long black hair spiralled around them like silky ebony smoke.

He could not believe this was happening; he was finally lip-to-lip, or scratch that, _tongue-on-tongue_ with Kanou-a! His joy knew no bounds as he feverently responded to the swirls of the foreign wet muscle exploring his mouth.

Making out was slow and heavy process under water, and as a human, Ben found it making him go breathless quicker. So Ben wanted to take it above the water. Kanou-a obliged even without knowledge of the wish; a single flap of his powerful tail and the two of them bobbed up the surface of the water, breaking the kiss in a great gasp for air, shoulder deep in water.

Ben slicked back his dark brown hair in a quick random movement, while Kanou-a did the same to his own long hair; Ben wasted no time in grabbing Kanou-a's face passionately and resuming their hungry battle for dominance, with battle cries of purring moans. Hands roamed feverently over skin as they savoured each other, letting their tongue speak their feelings without sound.

_He likes me! He actually likes me! Oh wow...!_

When they finally pulled apart, they were panting hoarsely against each other, chests touching, foreheads pressed, hands cupping each other's neck.

That was Kanou-a's first kiss. And so was Ben's.

Gasping helplessly at the loss of breath, Ben panted, "K- Kuh... hey, nothing...nothing in-interrupted us this t-time... right?"

Kanou-a looked at him with blue eyes glazed in deep emotion, as he managed a breathless smile, "And I was begin-ning t-to think I-I was c-cursed..."

Ben chuckled, sinking his wet head on to the shoulder romantically, and sighing, "I ... I'm so glad y-you were my first kiss, K-Kanou-a..." his hands winding lazily around the neck.

Kanou-a hugged him warmly, his white face dense in affectionate passion, leaning against Ben's head. He stroked Ben's drenched spine with his wet palm. Although the water was warm, their skin tingled as the air cooled the shiny layer of water coating their upper-bodies.

"Kirby..?" his voice came in a soft whisper.

"Yeah?" Ben hummed, nuzzling into the soft skin of the merman's muscular shoulder.

Kanou-a paused, contemplating how to speak appropriately, "I ... um, ... I fucking love you."

Ben's eyes shot open from Kanou-a's shoulder, his frantic heart jumping to his throat. His mind was suddenly victory-dancing.

o.o.o

The merman smiled, looking almost stupidly lovesick. He was in the water, with his elbows on the jagged rock, and chin resting on both palms, as he watched his beloved Kirby (whom he fucking loved) dress himself in his shirt and bermudas that he had abandoned, here, in the shore.

It was still dark, and past midnight. And time to bid farewell when the merman had noticed the sleep come reluctantly in the green eyes.

Ben turned around fully dressed in not-drenched clothes, blushing and self conscious, and with his hair clumping in damp strands, over his forehead and falling over his eyes. Making him look extremely sexy.

Kanou-a hummed happily from where he was, at Ben's feet. He titled his raven head and gazed up at him, as Ben sighed, "Don't look at me like that."

"Why shan't I? For I am still overwhelmed; you taste as beautiful as you look. I wouldn't which part of me is more pleased, my eyes or my lips."

In reply, Ben's blush spread more across his face, making him stare at the sand. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Ben shrugged in a coy-laced voice, "I- guess I'd better get going..."

"And so must I. So, do you feel sleepy now?" Kanou-a asked with a smile, although he was the one to suggest Ben go home, for his eyes were clearly moaning for rest. And the excitement of the kiss had worn him out too, as Kanou-a felt.

Ben bit his lower lip, "Yeah, I _am_ sleepy; and I think I'll just get knocked out when my head touches the pillow. But you'll still be in my head though."

"As will you be in mine," Kanou-a's voice was only a sweet whisper, sending shockwaves into Ben. He watched as the merman hoisted himself with one arm and before Ben had the chance to react, Kanou-a reached out his free hand swiftly, catching hold of the front of the standing Ben's shirt and tugging it downwards, making the surprised teen bend double and kneel on the rock he was standing on.

Kanou-a tipped up his head and kissed him full on the lips, while Ben moaned helplessly into it, eyes rolling back into his head. Pulling back to Ben's dismay, Kanou-a brushed his fingers across the blooming lips, whispering, "Goodnight, Kirby. Dream of me as I shall dream of you..."

Ben could not blush any more than he was doing now. And in a blink and a seductive smile later, Kanou-a was gone under the wave.

Ben straightened up, smiling at the scenery in the darkness. The breeze flitting through his clothes, making the collar of his shirt flutter, as did his damp and drying hair regaining its lighter brown hue.

This was easily the best day of his life. Or better said, best night.

_Oh my God... Kanou-a kissed me. I kissed him. We kissed each other. Is this some sort of dream?! He said he loved me! And I said I loved him too. Is it too soon? Or am I just over-reacting?!...I dunno. All I know is... I can't wait for it to be tomorrow!_

Ben smiled dreamily at the ocean, not even looking at his Omnitrix which he switched on and palm-slapped. A bright flash of green light later, Upchuck sighed, "Bigchill!" in a haze; and then realised the mismatch.

The short stubby alien trotted hypnotically towards the beachhouses, not even in his right mind to fear that he would be seen if someone chanced to look.

Thankfully, Fate guided the love-struck hero into the destined beachhouse, and into his bedroom, without a soul knowing it.

- End of Chapter –

* * *

**_Oh my gawd! Im SUCH a cockblocking bitch aint i?! But thn, I was nice enuf to give you, Kanou-aXben first time kissuu!_**

**_Took a while didn't i? Heheh, sorry. _**

**_And man, Kanou-a is cheesy. :D _**

**_And te hot spring! imagine; four super-hot mermen relaxing in the foggy waterbody. I can SO see Ben drooling himself to death (yeah, the four bros are hot)_**

**_Oh and, I got that bead-candy-worm-poop thing from te animated film Ant Bully. Funny how in te film, te poor kid had no idea that the large gelatinous green blobs he had been happily swallowing had come hot out of a giant worms keister, until he was shown it. Gross!_**

**_And te glowy-flowers scene remind me of te one in Avatar the James Cameron movie._**

**_Oh and whats this? Some creepy alien gusy Veremnos and C-Moxx? Yeah well, I sorta want you readers to remember this is not an AU, and this IS te Ben ten universe with a little adjustments thats all. As long as te omnitrix stays on Ben's wrists, villains will come flying for it._**

**_Oh and I dunno if ripjaws is available in the omnitrix whn ben's a teen, or not, but I flexed the rules a bit to adjust; I mean seriously, I think ripjaws wud look gud with merman-Kevin! :D ... plus, no offense ripjaws. I think youre hot despite your gruesome appearance. I just LOVE that tail-come-leg-again-come-tail that he has!_**

**_Keep reading! :D and reviewing! _**


	6. A Very Special Day

**_hello guys! srry i havent updated in a while; i was struck by the ever-irritating blow of a flu! damn, my imagination shrivelled into a walnut. -_-_**

**_but no biggie, im ok now... unless another flu happens to say hello to me with its ugly grin. (see? i got my imagination back! :D)_**

**_ok, so... back to the story bfore my imagination gets concentrated in the authors note than in the story itself..._**

**_warning : this story contains yaoi! male-on-male romance! boys love! a merman! a really super hot merman! (and...heheh sex! surprise!)_**

**_disclaimer : i do not in any sort of way own ben ten alien force!_**

* * *

**_Meeting Kanou-a_**

**_Chapter six : A Very Special Day_**

Kevin looked at Ben as the younger combed his brunette hair, vainly trying to smoothen down the cowlick that sprang up each time he ran the comb through it.

"Damn-it, lay down!" Ben ordered, and grimaced at his reflection in the kitchen mirror. Kevin held back a giggle.

"It'll never go down, Tennyson!" Kevin smoothly suggested, sipping at his orange-strawberry juice.

"Urgh, we'll see about _that_!" Ben growled determined, more at himself than at Kevin.

And the raven continued to watch the brunette's vain and unsuccessful attempts, till finally the comb fell (was tossed) at the counter and Ben walked up to the dining table and plopped, pouting, in to the chair.

"Don't get me wrong, but I think it doesn't look bad the way it is," Kevin spoke, chewing on his cereal. Ben looked up from his plate of eggs and bacon.

"Really? You think so?!" Ben beamed a little too happily. Kevin gave him a long look, which made Ben quickly look back at his plate. Lifting his fork and spoon, he tucked in.

"So, what're you grooming your hair for?...," a moment later, Kevin added slyly, "_Who_ are you grooming for?"

Ben munched unperturbed, "And why do you ask so, dear friend?" and when he saw Kevin look at him as if he had grown ten heads, Ben blurted, " I mean, 'ssup dawg?"

_Damn. I'm picking up good manner from Kanou-a! ... Mom would be proud..._

"Right. Like you couldn't get any weirder, I'm not even going to ask," Kevin sighed rolling his eyes, and then continued, "As I was asking, I've never seen you comb your hair! Like last time I did, it was for a date with Julie. And another time was when... oh right, there was no other time."

Ben faced the crude and suave smiling raven who raised a raven eyebrow for an answer.

"So, now I gotta have a certificate just to comb my hair?!" Ben groaned.

"No, but it's a sign of the obvious," Kevin spoke silkily, eyeing the cereal floating in the milk in his spoon, and then glanced at Ben with an all-knowing grin, "You're seeing someone, eh?"

Ben's face erupted in a heated blush, his left eye twitching marvellously as he stammered, "S-seeing someone?! No! I-I'm not seeing ANYone!"

"Right, you're eye says otherwise," Kevin pointed the empty spoon at Ben, "Plus, you are never self-conscious about how you look, unless you're trying to impress someone."

"Have you been stalking me?" Ben hissed bluntly at Kevin's accurate comment.

Kevin laughed loud, "Ha! Yeah right, as if I have no life! Seriously!" and then he shook his head, "Having you as the cousin of my ex-girlfriend, and being in your team, I guess I know you really well. Or maybe 'cause we're best friends? Or maybe 'cause frenemies know each other better? Or 'cause you're transparent to me? You choose."

"Eh," Ben shrugged, inwardly surprised (and nervous) that Kevin knew him too well, "I-I'm not seeing no one."

"Hehe, sure you are!" Kevin pressed on with his smirk, "You're blushing bad! Really, _really _bad!"

Ben fidgeted from his seat. _Wait till you hear that I'm seeing a merman! Who looks like a carbon copy of YOU!_

"Someone at the beach?" Kevin raised an eyebrow, toying with the spoon, the same sly grin on his face, "Is she hot? Blonde? Fair? Alien? Does your ex, Julie, know?"

Ben's eyes shot up, burning in green flames, "I'm not seeing any girl, Kevin!" at which Kevin sat back.

"So-"

"NO, I'M NOT GAY!" Ben had guessed what Kevin was going to say and had interrupted him.

Kevin laughed happily, easily enjoying himself tease the hell out of his best friend. And lying was making Ben's eye twitch too. He hoped against hope that Kevin would think the twitchy eye is about seeing someone and not about being gay.

Thankfully, Kevin did. "Come on, Tennyson! Fess up already!"

Ben sat up startled, but seeing that they were still in the topic of girlfriends (and not sexual orientation), he groaned, "I'm-not-seeing-anyone!"

"Stop lying! You're not seeing a girl, and definitely not a guy, then _whom_ are you grooming for?! A _merman_?!"

Ben choked on his bacon, coughing a few, till he stared open mouthed at Kevin who was still laughing.

_Fuck, this guy is more accurate than he thinks and knows!_

Ben looked away, when Kevin added, "I'll make you say it Tennyson! Brute force or not!"

Ben glared at the smirking raven. Pouting cutely, Ben bluntly mumbled, "Super hot. Raven. Really pale. Sorta alien. Julie doesn't know and I don't intend to tell anyone about it."

"Hehe! Waddya know! Benji's growing up! How the hell did you pick up someone like that! She sounds amazing!"

"What, so now you're saying I'm not good-looking enough to pick up girls?!" Ben huffed indignantly.

Kevin shrugged modestly, "Yes. Or maybe you are good-looking enough to pick up a few _guys_..."

Ben glowered at him, his hands flying threateningly over the Omnitrix, and he hissed, "Let's see what Humungasaur has to say about that..."

"Ok, ok fine! Only solely 'cause I want my car in one piece, I change my words," he pressed his hand to his shirted chest.

"Good," Ben growled, chomping down the last piece of egg and bacon.

"Actually, I just remembered," Kevin spoke, this time he wasn't joking as Ben noticed, "A guy did come up to me and ask me if 'the cute kid in the green shorts' was single. And I said I'll ask."

Ben gaped at him, "Really? You're not pulling my leg?"

"I'm saying the truth, Tennyson," Kevin nodded solemnly, "And from the POV of a straight guy, he was really hot too. Sorta dirty blonde spikes and hazel eyes, well-built swimmer. Too bad you're not gay, or I could _so_ picture you flaunt him to Gwen and Julie, and make them drool outta their chinny-chin-chins!"

Ben rolled his eyes. Although that sounded like some delicious hunk, Ben wasn't interested.

"Well, you can tell that guy," Ben stood up, with his empty plate and turned around, "That I'm sorry, 'cause _this_ _ass is_ _already taken_!"

Kevin watched in amusement as Ben turned up his chin and walked dignified out of the room. Kevin chuckled and then paused, "I hope that was just an expression?"

o.o.o

Kevin let a sigh fall from his lips.

Although the rest of him was rippling and enjoying the thrill of adrenaline as he rode the wave on his yellow-blue-green surfboard, hands outstretched perpendicular to his body on either sides, body crouching a little, while his black hair tearing backwards in cue with the spray of foam-laced water, a single shark-tooth dangling from a silver chain which Gwen had got him; his mind was still bothered.

He had visited a voodoo witchy person at the beach, in one of the stalls, merely out of amusement in the witch-crap he did not believe. And the words of the woman had struck him as increasingly idiotic. Yet, his mind was still contemplating it, and it irritated him to no end.

"Whatever," he groaned, not wanting pesky thoughts to ruin his surfing rush. "There's no such thing as 'magic' anyway."

...Sometime later...

Groups of girls in swimsuits peered, giggling and blushing as the raven made his way across the shore, the long surfboard held parallel to the ground as he walked.

His hair was slicked back, although a few strands from above his temples had fallen and framed the sides of his face, as a single short strand frolicked on his forehead. The drips from his surfing ran down his fair skin in zigzag patterns whenever their path met with his chiselled muscles. Dangling from his neck was that shark tooth, rising and falling every time his brawny chest breathed. His dark navy shorts clung to him, clearly defining his masculine hips and powerful thighs. His face, as casually always, wore his bad-boy charm complete with the softly stoic brown eyes, and thin lips. As he calmly walked, he heard the girly squeals and giggles, and a small smirk made his lips twitch. He guessed the girls noticed that too, for he heard more chuckles and sighs. He decided to humour them, so without moving his head, he cast a glance at them, and they all grinned widely. He even bestowed them with an ever so suave smile, and they nearly scattered in high pitched squeals.

Shaking his head unnoticeably, and smiling as well, Kevin flicked up the board and gripping both its streamlined sides, brought it down, thereby he dug its tip into the sand, where it stood where its other colourful and tattooed kind were kept as well.

Kevin glanced to his left, at the peering girls who now hid behind the shower stall, tripping over each other and bickering while trying to get a better look at him. Smirking again, he happened to notice something in the corner of his eye. Turning his head to his right, he saw that several feet away, amidst the people walking around, was Ben. He was happily speed-walking towards the shore, with a big fluff of cotton candy propped on a stick in his grip, the fluff being curiously big enough for two people.

"Wonder where he goes off to everyday?" Kevin mumbled to himself, eyes rather amused. Shrugging, he looked at the surfboard, and gave a sigh.

o.o.o

"Look, Kanou-a! This is cotton candy!" Ben held out the stick with the cloud of pink. Kanou-a stared curiously at it with glassy blue eyes. He looked from the cotton candy to Ben to the cotton candy and back to Ben.

"And trust me, this does not come from any creature's behind," Ben looked away a little sick. But then he turned back, and smiled widely, "Its not even natural, but it tastes real good, you should try it! Here!"

Seeing the enthusiasm in Ben's green eyes, Kanou-a smiled. He then gave a laugh saying, "How must I eat it?"

"Oh," Ben smiled, "You just pluck it, and eat it! Like this!" he pinched off a bunch carefully without squishing it, and stuffed it into his mouth. Kanou-a's eyes pinned on the small string of pink peeking out the corner of the plush lips.

Kanou-a and Ben were sitting on their usual rock again, where they were secluded from the beach full of people by a large wall of piled up rocks.

Kanou-a's slender and pale fingers reached out a carefully touched the cotton candy. He marvelled at its texture, and how fragile it was to actually melt a little even as he touched it. Plucking a soft clump, he brought it to his mouth, unsurely. Now he experienced the sort of unsure excitement that Ben must have faced when the merman had brought him things to eat.

"Well, this is quite tasty!" Kanou-a's eyes widened. Smiling, Ben gave him a thumbs up, and plucked more, only to stuff it into his mouth and chomp away.

Kanou-a chuckled at Ben's eagerness for the sweet. He helped himself to more too. And they talked a while, well, aptly Ben talked as Kanou-a listened to him narrate how he first fell in love with the sweet and even once dreamed of a Cotton Candy Goddess who blessed him with a room full of Sumo Slammer cards. (having been talking to Ben since a few days, Kanou-a knew what Sumo Slammer was)

"Ahaha, Kirby, you are so sweet; you have some on your face," Kanou-a laughed, and scrunched his eyes prettily. Ben pouted, trying to look down his nose, and ended up making Kanou-a giggle senseless.

"Get it for me, will you?" Ben asked, as he was far more concerned picking off the remaining pink strands that clung desperately to the now-almost-empty stick.

Kanou-a reached out to the distracted teenager. However, a slow sneaky smile, (a really rare one), came on Kanou-a's face. Ben didn't even notice Kanou-a press closer, or bring his face closer.

But Ben _did _notice when he _felt _a soft tongue flick at the corner of his lip. He turned suddenly, and the tongue was on his lips. And then Kanou-a was kissing him. Deeply. One pale hand pressed at his cheek, while his other hand stayed on the rock for support. Ben responded favourably, of course.

Pulling back an inch, Kanou-a nuzzled his face to Ben's cheek, his hand snaking down the slim neck to hold Ben's shoulder, as he whispered, "You really _are_ sweet, in the literal sense as well..."

Ben blushed berry red, the side of his face that Kanou-a's face touched was burning and tingling.

Ben suddenly gave out a goofy smile. Kanou-a pulled back and blinked doll-like, "I'm sorry, did I do anything ridiculous? Or worse, offensive?" Kanou-a blushed visibly, the reddish-pinkness fluttering on his ivory cheeks. "I am so sorry, Kirby; I never have found my actions preceding my mind before, but with you here, I am quite disoriented..." And he blushed some more.

_Man, he's so innocent_... Ben thought to himself.

"Hey, its ok; I just smiled 'cause what you did just now, -" he pressed a finger to the corner of his lips where Kanou-a had _licked_ him, "- It's kinda famous; it's a common romantic gesture in movies and stories and stuff! Funny you have never seen a movie but you did something in it, all by yourself!"

Kanou-a looked on in amusement, and chuckled, "Well, that just proves that _although_ humans and merpeople are different, all hearts-in-love work, think and do the same!"

Ben gaped at his philosophical optimism. _This guy has enough optimism to kill my pessimistic best friend Kevin!_

"And what did you mean by 'disoriented'?" Ben grinned. He was not stupid to not guess, but he liked to tease out an answer from the ever-innocent Kanou-a.

Unfortunately(for Ben), Kanou-a was not stupid either.

Catching the teasing hint in Ben's voice, Kanou-a smiled sensually. "Ah, yes, I meant," he leaned closer, the grin fading slowly from the brunette's face as the merman's shadow fell over him, "My body moves before my mind agrees..."

"Oh,"Ben gulped as the icy blues were staring right into the green of his own eyes and a few cold fingers brushed on his stomach, gently stroking sideways, and along the sides of his shirtless abdomen. Shuddering once, Ben flinched and gripped Kanou-a's arms when Kanou-a's palm grazed across a small bruise he had earned from dropping off his bed in the morning. Kanou-a pulled back, looking at him in concern, "You are hurt?"

"Nah, its nothing..." Ben twisted so that he and Kanou-a (who was sitting to his right) could peer at the bruise on Ben's leftside.

"How did it happen?" Kanou-a looked at it, his fingers hovering over the dark red patch of skin.

"Fell of the bed," Ben spoke nonchalantly.

"Quite the careless, aren't you?"

"Thanks... I mean, hey!" Ben pouted crossly. Kanou-a leaned in and brushed his lips to the pushed-out ones, and pulled back satisfied at the blushing face, "I shall heal it for you."

"Eh?... oh yeah," Ben smacked the heel of his palm at his forehead, "Sorta forgot you had magic!"

Kanou-a nodded, and turned to the ocean that lapped gentle waves against his tail that hung off the rock. He stretched out his hand, palm facing down, to the horizon. As if calling for someone. Kanou-a concentrated, and a small blob of water, shaking like jelly, rose from the water and hovered under Kanou-a's palm. Kanou-a upturned his palm and the blob rested, still shaking and wobbling, into his hand.

Ben watched in fascination as Kanou-a brought the small blob of water to the bruise and pressed his finger to the wound. The blob didn't touch Ben's skin, but it started to shrink and ooze around Ben's bruise, as soft cool tingles erupted in Ben. Ben gave out a purr of satisfaction, making Kanou-a's concentration nearly stumble, but he managed to complete the healing.

Once it was done, the blob was no more, and neither was the bruise.

"I had to use water for the healing process, as an entity of itself; for I am not mature enough to use the spiritual element of water yet. But once I am mature, I merely have to chant the right words and I need not use a small body of water for it!"

Ben looked at the smooth tanned skin of his left-side and then at Kanou-a. Grinning he spoke, "That's so cool! Even if you had to use water, it's still cool to me! Thanks a lot for healing me!"

Kanou-a felt warmed and praised.

Ben then put his thoughtful-face on. One that made Kanou-a always gaze at him in enchantment.

"How does a merman become 'mature' to use their powers to the full extent?"

Kanou-a's smile dropped, and he looked frazzled a little. He looked away from the curious face of the brunette and instead gazed out the horizon as a gentle breeze flew strands of his damp black hair against his face. "It has its procedures..."

Ben reached out and brushed away the dark strands fluttering across the raven's face. "Like what? You have some sort of a quest, or adventure that you have to win? Or... or, or maybe a tournament! Where you wrestle sharks and whales! Or maybe you guys race giant sea horses! Like wow!"

Kanou-a looked at him, with a stupid look on his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry to disappoint you..." Kanou-a gave a nervous smile, "But, I need not wrestle sharks, or kill whales, or rides seahorses which seems out of proportion given the size of a sea horse..."

"Then what do you gotta do then?"

"It's... rather complicated, Kirby," Kanou-a sighed, looking down at his hands laced at his lap. Ben smiled apologetically, "Oh, magic stuff right?"

"Uh, yes," Kanou-a nodded, glancing sides ways at Ben who seemed unfazed, and then the merman added, "But not the kind that your Cousin Gwen does, but a different kind."

Ben looked at him and nodded. "It's ok, I won't understand magic or manna anyway!" twiddling the white empty stick that once was loaded with pink goodiness.

o.o.o

"Is this place like _twenty four seven_ warm?!" Ben laughed. They were back in that secluded place again, where they had kissed for the first time.

Hands resting on the rim of the well, Ben's cheeks were pink in the warmth of the water. He beamed happily, at how lucky he was, to have a natural sauna, a merman boyfriend and alien butt-kicking Omnitrix.

Kanou-a titled his head, "What's does 'twenty four seven' mean?"

"It's means 'all the time', you know, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week?"

"Oh, rather a short and nifty way to say all of that information! Humans are rather clever too," Kanou-a mused in awe.

"Yeah we are," Ben smuggle added with a smile, "I'm not really stupid, right?"

"Of course you aren't," Kanou-a moved from his side and swam till he was right in front of Ben. His hands raised to rest on either of Ben's shoulders.

"How could you be stupid, Kirby? You save the world; you take decisions where your superiors are not around to do them for you; people in the land world and above live peacefully and alive because you save them."

Ben's eyes sparkled in gratitude, "Yeah, I guess I AM awesome."

Kanou-a rolled his eyes and laughed, "Inflating your ego, am I?"

Ben grinned, "Not really. You see, not many guys know I'm a hero. I just do it for the responsibility not the fame. Ok, maybe the Universe knows me and my Omnitrix, but the people of my home, people of Earth, don't. So at times, I kinda feel I am underappreciated by the close ones around me. Granted, my friends and my grandpa do appreciate me, but my parents, my relatives, my school friends, and the passerby's ... they don't, 'cause they don't know. Every time some big calamity is avoided, people thank nature, or, or, or the CBI or, or the Airforce, or something. They don't know I am behind the saving."

Ben looked away, and puffed out his cheeks, partly angry, partly sad. Kanou-a felt his heart heavy in a pang of guilt and pain.

"Kirby," he cupped the sulking face in his pale hands, making the green eyes focus on him, "_I_ appreciate you. Doesn't that make you happy?"

Ben scrunched his eyes, a small smile broke out of his lips, "Well, yeah. I didn't have you back then - "

"But you have me _now_," Kanou-a pressed his forehead to Ben's. The brunette found his heart drumming like crazy.

"Please Kirby, don't look so unloved, it rather hurts me."

Ben bit his lip, he could feel the passionate concern in the silky voice, and it struck him hard. He smiled, "Ok. With you here, I won't."

Kanou-a moved up his face, pressing his lips to the flush pink ones, "I love you."

Ben closed his eyes, feeling the hands caress his face, as he replied with his lips moving against Kanou-a's, "I love you, too."

Gently, the two lowered from the water-surface of the well, into the water below. Kanou-a backed Ben against the wall of the well.

Kanou-a kissed him deeply, head titling sideways as he fit his open mouth perfectly with Ben's, tongues battling gently and without force. One hand roamed sideways off Ben's face to hold behind his head, and the other placed on Ben's upper arm. Ben's own hands rose to hold the merman's neck.

Ben's mind swam in and out of focus. They had kissed plenty underwater. And by now, he could breathe as efficiently whilst kissing as he could in air. But that was not what was making him hazy. It was the whole entity of it, to be pressed against someone he loved. His hands gently fell from the pale strong neck, and felt the chest as he went, his palm tracing the contours and grooves over the taut white skin stretching over every muscle Kanou-a had built from excessive swimming. His fingers brushing over the pink buds on the pecs, and the lingered at the diamonds and sapphires hanging around the merman's neck. His hands ran down the well-defined abs, and steered sideways around the strong powerful hips, feeling the odd border at the hips where human-like skin blended into dolphin-skin-like tail.

Kanou-a kissed him more passionately, both moaning into it, and Ben found his heart pumping like never before. After all, they were alone, under the ocean, just the two of them. Ben's mind no longer worked properly, his brain, his heart and his body was burning for action. Blood pooled and head for the south of his body, while his body started to heat up.

Mindlessly, he bucked forward and found himself grinding against the flat area of Kanou-a's hips where his crotch would have been.

The merman paused, and Ben felt him tense, but he continued to passionately assault Ben's mouth, which gave Ben no hint but to keep grinding his hard-on, friction alone from the fabric of his shorts arousing him further. Kanou-a gave a soft grunt, Ben felt the kissing face scowl in pure pleasure, but he didn't protest nor did he stop his frenching, so Ben kept on grinding. Ben, blushing relentlessly, pressed himself closer, his small flat chest warm against Kanou-a's cool pale brawny one.

Ben's fingers splayed from the hips and pulled the merman even closer, Ben's completely-hard self pushed hard against the flat merman skin.

"_Arrrrhhhh..." _Kanou-a suddenly pulled back from the kiss, with a low growl. Ben gasped, drawing his hands quickly to his own chest in bafflement. Kanou-a's hands snatched from Ben and planted themselves on either side of Ben's head, on the rock wall he was pinned against.

Ben blinked, feeling dread and guilt leaking into his turned-on mind. _I ruined it. I offended him and now I ruined it!_

Ben stared at the merman, who had his head lowered, his bangs and locks swimming around him, his eyes and mouth not visible as he panted in slow long draws. Ben blinked a few, and then his trembling self noticed Kanou-a struggling, the raven turning his head to the left while maintaining its lowered position.

Trapped in the confinement of the two muscular arms, Ben held his breath, hoping the merman was not going to lash out at him, for doing what Kanou-a had described earlier as 'the body moving without the mind agreeing'.

"K-Kanou-a? Are you a-alright?" Ben whispered, because he heard low growls, huffs and hisses from the face that remained low. The pale shoulder stiffened. Ben noticed the biceps flex and contract. Ben even saw a few veins under the pale skin strain against it as the muscles tightened.

Ben's eyes moved from the arms to the face he tried to peer to, but he feared something so he remained mute and frozen, gulping while his heart rang dangerously fast within the cage of his ribs.

"_Unnhhhh..." _Kanou-a growled again, and Ben jumped in a flinch when he heard the crunching sound to either sides of his head, as Kanou-a's fingers dug into the rock wall and crushed the part under his palms as he curled his fingers. Ben noticed more of the biceps and triceps clench, and even noticed the abdomen tighten.

Before Ben could say anything else, the merman paused, and finally, shaking a little, he looked up.

Ben was struck with what he saw. Eyes like those, he had never seen such before. All sorts of blues were swirling in Kanou-a's irises, dark and light, glints of white, blotches of black, all swirling and shining in eyes that were tainted in deepest of lust, shadowed by half drawn eyelids, unfocused in wild passion; eyes not wide and not narrowed either. Eyebrows even, but a little wild in expression. A glowing pink of exhausted effort floating on the ivory cheeks. Lips were pressed in a taut line opening to suck in a long line of breath, and Ben guessed he was clenching his teeth.

Ben gaped, although the irresistible look on Kanou-a's face and the sight of him only turned him more on, he was worried what this supernatural being could do if he was angry.

This was the first time Ben had not even thought _once_ of using the Omnitrix to save himself.

"Kanou-a..." Ben whispered, his face clearly showed signs of concern and guilt. But Kanou-a's brows relaxed, and he nearly looked helpless, with his hands still clawed in the wall, "Kirby, K-Kirby, you..."

He struggled as he winced a little more, hung his head and left out a slow breath. Ben merely watched the lips open and close, and felt his crotch twitch within his shorts eagerly.

"Kirby..." Kanou-a turned his face up to Ben again, his eyes still placid but expressive, clouded and unfocused, "You aroused me."

"Huh?" Ben's own eyes widened, "I did ?-" that was when he felt it.

And saw it.

Below between them, was a hard-on not his own. Ben simply stared at the penis, whose shaft was indigo blue, the same hue as that of the merman's tail, with the blue blending into a soft lilac and pink at the head. Ben's gaping face turned up to look at Kanou-a who looked extremely embarrassed and guiltier than him.

Kanou-a winced a little more, with one eye closed, as he hissed, "B-brother Kaproska..." he gave out a soft breath, "...did warn me... i-it would b-be over-w-whelming...," he grit his teeth, "...extremely over-w-whelming...," his fingers clawed a bit more, the crunching sounds vibrating near Ben's ears.

Ben simply stared at him with large glittery eyes of surprise, "You're turned on _because_ you're turned on?!"

Kanou-a groaned from his gut, still adjusting to the release of the new feelings he had never felt before, "D-depends on what 't-turn on' means?"

"Aroused?" Ben answered, and Kanou-a hung his head as he continued to struggle, "I s-suppose then y-you are right..." he lifted his head back up, to look deeply into the greens, and looking at Ben was not helping him any better but only making him more struggle. "B-besides,... with you here, I-I maybe m-more over-w-whelmed that I-I should b-be..."

Kanou-a lowered his head, as his body started to give in and relax a little, his breath coming in slow long draws. His mind was scattered and confused, but he was slowly recovering. His merman body was usually cool and calm, but now his body was on fire, heat he had never experienced before, and heat that he found himself craving to increase by each passing second. His mind waddled and he remembered that the reason of his arousal rested in front of him, but he felt dismayed that he may have scared his Kirby with the sudden appearance of his crotch.

If anything, he wanted to remove his hands away from Ben's sides and left him swim away. Although he knew that retracting a severely hard penis was going to be bodily painful, the last thing he wanted to do was force Ben.

His shoulders shook, as he brought himself to speak, "G-give me a f-few moments, K-Kirby,... I shall let y-you swim a-away, I j-just need to - "

His words dissolved into nothingness when he opened his blue eyes and saw not one but TWO penises between him and Ben. One blue, his own; and the other smaller and perfectly human, and just as erect. Kanou-a noticed from the corner of his eyes, the green-cyan shorts drift away down below.

It was Kanou-a's turn to gape, his deeply clouded eyes looked up and saw Ben panting softly, his head backed against the wall, hands pressed to the wall as well, face tilted up, eyes closed and lips parted, taking in long breaths as his rosy tinted chest heaved softly. Reddish pink glowed at his cheeks.

Kanou-a found himself gulping audibly at the luscious expression on the brunette's face. "K-Kirby..."

Green eyes opened, mirroring the same lust brewing in the blues, "I'm aroused too... in case you didn't notice..." Ben's hands removed from the wall and wound around Kanou-a's neck, drawing him closer. The merman found his body eagerly relishing the radiating heat of the brunette's chest, yet he whispered, "K-kirby, you s-speak under the i-influence of my pheromones... mermen release chemicals t-that works as m-mild a-aphrodisiac to humans... you know n-not what you are saying..-"

"I _do _know what I'm saying," Ben groaned, his stomach clenching with desire, "I _want_ _you_, is that so bad? You're crotch says otherwise..."

Kanou-a's glazed eyes widened, his heart drumming to a point he feared Kirby might hear it. Drawing in a hissing breath, Kanou-a whispered, "But-"

"There's no going back, since we're both really wanting," Ben moaned, "Are you going to not let me satisfy you?"

Kanou-a's heart cringed and buzzed, his head feeling heavy and blank as he gazed at the most beautiful face he had ever seen, the most sensual expression of passion. Brimming at the point of insanity, Kanou-a whispered, "Kirby..."

Ben pressed more forward, brushing both their lengths between their abdomens, his lips brushing over the high pale cheekbones, legs winding tantalisingly around the fishy tail, his voice reverberating from the nape of the strong neck, "Please, Kanou-a, take me, please, I want you! Kanou-a!"

"SAY NO MORE, KIRBY!"

Kanou-a's eyes shot wider, and his common sense was lost to the world. His eyes coloured several shades of lusty blue in succession, he tugged his hands off the rocks and gripped Ben's shoulders and moved him back so they could see each other while still being pressed together. Ben was not sure whether to be scared or excited at the most turned-on expression he had ever seen on any face.

"_I shall love you till neither of us can see_," Kanou-a hissed, and seized Ben's lips with his own. Black silky strands of smoke-like hair billowed around their faces.

o.o.o

"Kevin, where's Ben?" Gwen asked. She stood at the threshold of the beach house made of stylish bamboo and wood. She stood there akimbo, wearing a red bikini bra and small jeans shorts. Her hair was twisted to one side in a braid, she was tanned from her volleyball match.

"Dunno," Kevin shrugged, as he continued to flip through the car magazine. His mind however had a feeling that Ben was with that hot raven chick somewhere, sharing a cloud of cotton candy.

o.o.o

C-Mexx stared at the radar, the blip he was searching for was nowhere. _Ben Tennyson is a very hard object to find. Given the age and the lack of maturity, he seems rather nifty._

He continued to gaze at the screen with his black eyes. The ship that they were in stayed afloat in mid air, several feet above the land-and-water mass of earth's surface. It was under high-tech invisibility mode and hence unspotted. They had been trying to lure Ben Tennyson out with Droids but none of them could get the teenager into the invisible ship before being destroyed to smithereens.

C-Mexx glowered at it calmly.

He only started when he felt long arms wind around his waist. No more startled, C-Mexx acknowledged his Commander's presence, whose chest pressed to his back. Veremnos placed his sharp chin on the shorter man's shoulder. His voice travelled silkily through the air as he whispered, "Any progress, C-Mexx?"

"Not any of concern, Commander," C-Mexx turned back to the screen, completely not reactive to the Commander turning his softly indigo face towards the slim neck. Or as the face nuzzled to his skin.

"Then leave the radar's side for a while," he spoke, his hand brushed back the red hair behind the ear and his lip pressing against the earlobe, "When Ben Tennyson appears, we shall be alerted. Till then..."

He pulled back and turned his Left Hand Assistant Commander to face him and backed him against the table, staring into the expressionless black eyes with his ivory pair.

"Rather irksome to wait, C-Mexx," Veremnos hissed and he leaned in, his white hair slipping to his either sides like long curtains. He placed one hand on the table, while the fingers of his other hand traced contours of C-Mexx's lips.

"Ben Tennyson can't hide for long, Commander, hence, we need not wait long," C-Mexx replied, his lips moving against the fingers, and he knew Veremnos liked that.

"Although I find that comforting, I wasn't talking about Ben Tennyson just now."

Black eyes coolly gazed into the cold white irises. Veremnos smirked and whispered, "Strip."

"Yes, Commander."

C-Mexx used both hands to undo the button of his own uniform, while Veremnos leaned in further and licked across the length of the thin lips. When C-Mexx had gotten three-fourth of the top opened, Veremnos shooed away the hands, "Enough."

Seeing that his Commander wanted to continue it for him, C-Mexx stayed still, letting his hands fall at either sides. Veremnos ran a pale blue finger along his clavicle, his shoulder muscles and slipped lower to his chest. C-Mexx only flinched a little as two fingers toyed with a pink nipple.

A few moments later...

A sudden beep made them both open their eyes solemnly. Pulling apart their open mouths, a string of saliva extending only to snap away, they turned to the screen that showed a particular blip on it.

Walking up to the screen without even bothering to fix C-Mexx's lopsided clothes, they stared at the blip, and the data that was being written in top speed below it, trying to identify the object.

"Curious," C-Mexx mumbled, "Thats not the Omnitrix."

"Yet the power surge is rather large," Veremnos added.

The blip blinked uncontrollably, before disappearing completely.

They looked at each other in suspicious confusion.

o.o.o

"Ahhh..." Ben groaned in pleasure.

(Earlier, Kanou-a and Ben had dropped from their position near the wall, and now lay on the bottom of the tunnel. Above them, the well opened. Behind them the long tunnel led to the secret opening entrance. They were at the crook of the right angled tunnel, where the water was not as warm as it was above, but not cold either. Kanou-a was on the top, Ben lay underneath him.)

Kanou-a lifted his head slowly, speaking in a grazed voice, "Are you hurt? Must I stop?"

"Nuh...No way..." Ben mumbled, turning his head, arching his chest upwards, biting down on his arm. Kanou-a softly resumed stroking the tanned inner thighs, trying to calm the writhing horny Kirby.

When he realised that his own leaking erection was suffering, he softly held the tanned legs by their knees. Bending them around his waist, Kanou-a slipped his pale upper body up the tanned smooth skin, past the brunette's erection (that he had treated to lovingly earlier but it had sprung back to life again), till he faced the younger human. Breathing into each other's pleasured face, Kanou-a dipped his head and kissed him again. Ben wound his arms around the neck, fisting into the soft silky black hair billowing around them in the water, holding his breath when he felt a pulsing head align with his prepared orifice.

"Unghhhh..." they groaned together as the pink head breached the stretching sphincter painlessly, and the larger rod of muscles slipped inch by inch into Ben's insides.

o.o.o

C-Mexx continued to analyse the data they had received of the unknown blip on the sophisticated radar. He zoomed his hands across the screen, cataloguing tables and arranging the data in forms of groups, by moving his fingers across the touch-sensitive glass, that glowed neon blue.

Veremnos sighed heavily, "It must be another technical fault, C-Mexx."

"Commander! Look," C-Mexx pointed to the large amount of written data on the computer screen, "The radiation shows results not pertaining to alien forms."

"Do you mean to say humans have abilities besides their mind?"

"No," C-Mexx sat back from his chair, looking confused, his black eyes narrowed in concentration, "It is not human. Not alien. What is it then?"

The screen went off as a sexually frustrated Veremnos smacked the off switch. "It's a technical fault, that's what it is! Now stand up, get to the table and remove every bit of clothing you have on you! It's an order!"

C-Mexx looked unfazedly at his frowning Commander. He guessed that a rigid arousal pulsed impatiently at the Commander's torso.

"Yes, Commander," he spoke, he got up and stripped as he walked to the said table.

o.o.o

Kanou-a had never felt his body act so before. Nor had he ever been in experience of such marvellous heat that wanted to melt him. His mind had never been this out-of-control, his conscience never been away from his grip. Yet as he thrust successively into the suctioning insides of Ben's rear, he could barely remember anything. Especially when Ben met each of his thrusts with a bucking of his own, the delicious friction scattering all sanity each time.

Backs arched inwards, they moaned and panted, small dribbling bubbles of air leaving their mouths, drifting above and away. The water around them going warmly permeated as they frequently panted in increasing ecstasy.

Again and again, the water-being's crotch hit Ben's prostate dead-on, rather roughly but lovingly as well, and both felt their insides screaming as they inched their way to the edge. Being in water, movements were slowed, yet, because of Kanou-a's powerful tail, and his unconscious influence on water, they could move effortlessly, riding out their climax.

Finally, a few moments, and several thrusts later, Ben gasped out loud, screaming, "I can't...!" and in reflex he clenched himself, which made Kanou-a's ascend to orgasm speed up by several layers.

"Ngghhhh, " Kanou-a clenched his teeth trying to hold as much as he could, managing just one thrust more, till ...

"Ahhhh!" he arched, chest pushed out, head thrown back while his hair flipped behind him in a torrent of black smoky mass. Ben mirrored him, his fingers digging into the arms of the pale merman. Both wearing an expression of euphoria at its extremity.

Sound waves flit through the water as they screamed each other's names. They came together, Ben spurting his seed between them, which dissolved milky in the water, while Kanou-a's burning semen shot filling up Ben, when the hot channel of Ben's insides constricted at the same time.

Frozen and blind in heated ecstatic space for a moment, and then released from its hold into satisfied relaxation, Kanou-a slowly dropped forward, panting heavily with his forehead pressed to the flat heaving chest of the brunette. Neither of them moved as they basked in the glory of their first time, Kanou-a still inside Ben. Limbs and tail too tired and over-worked to move, they lay still as the water remained around them, soothing their searing skin.

Ben felt lulled by the low drone of the water and the heavy breathing of his and his lover's. He felt Kanou-a's arms gently wrap around him, and then curiously long coils were winding around him softly as well. Too tired to think and analyse, Ben closed his eyes, sighing as the coils curled around him and Kanou-a.

When Ben opened his eyes, he was no longer in the water. He could feel Kanou-a resting under him, as per the feel of the wet pale skin against his wet red cheeks. Opening his eyes, he lifted only his head and looking around he realised that he and Kanou-a were out of the water, and now resting the floor of the cave. Kanou-a's tail still dangled into the well in precaution to avoid drying up.

A small moment of thought and Ben realised that the coils he had felt earlier were the coils of water curling around them under Kanou-a's command and it must have lifted the two out the well since neither of them had energy to move.

Head placing itself gently against the breathing chest, Ben sighed with a contended smile. He could not believe what had just happened moments ago, all the hormones and the feelings and the rush and the climax. Mind-blown, Ben smiled as he stroked a finger on the wet pale skin under him, happy that someone now owned him as their own.

The merman stirred under him, so Ben slowly got up and sat beside him, as Kanou-a sat up, wincing a little. Ben looked at him, the merman's long black hair slicked back at the forehead, but wet clumps fell forward on either sides of the face. His cheeks showed remnant pinks of what had been furious red, while his lips were a little swollen. Ben's eyes then travelled lower, taking in the small bluish hickeys that he had planted on the perfect skin, the precious gems shimmering from their chain, and then he longingly stared at the spot where the blue crotch (which gave him the best moment of his life) was, but was no longer there. All that was now was the usual flat skin, resulting from the retraction. Ben was far too much in thought to notice something else.

Kanou-a groaned and stretched out, cracking and popping his displaced muscles. He then dropped his hands to the sides, placing palms on the dark floor to support himself, and turned to Ben. Smiling, his eyes were no longer the waves of stormy sea-blue, but their usual soft delicate indigo lovingness.

"Are you alright? Was I too hard on you?" Kanou-a purred softly, reaching out to curl his hand around the shoulders, drawing the blushing brunette towards him. Ben cuddled into him, and grinned into the strong neck as he wound his arms around him and sighed, "I'm ok. Butt's a bit sore, but going by all the gay porn I read, it's natural."

Kanou-a chose not to ask what he meant by that.

Smiling, he relished cuddling against his lover, while the cool air in the cave soothed their water-slicked skins.

"Ah, then I suppose it's alright if I said that it was the best thing I have ever experienced in my whole life!" Kanou-a sighed, running his wet fingers through the damp brown hair lovingly. Ben grinned from his position, "I saw you turn into a truly dominant male! Man, the look you gave me! Just thinking about it is turning me on!"

Kanou-a beamed, "Why thank you, I suppose hormones and pheromones have a way with that."

Ben smiled and sat back to kiss him but suddenly –

"What the fuck! What happened to you, Kanou-a!" Ben gaped widely at the merman. The merman looked surprised. He saw Ben looking at him, so Kanou-a looked down at himself.

Fins.

Kanou-a had grown fins! Small fins of transparent rice-paper texture, with spiked edges like the one on a sea-horse's back. His fins was primarily white with blue tips. A fin laced each of the joints Kanou-a's shoulders, a fin on each forearm, along the Ulna bone. Two fins lined the waist where the tail started, as well.

Add to that, Kanou-a's ears had become a little pointy, and his incisor teeth a little longer almost unnoticeably. Ben hadn't noticed all theses features a few moments ago, because he was deep in thought.

"Ah," Kanou-a smiled, looking at the fin on his forearm, stroking it with one finger, "It's finally happened!"

"_What's_ finally happened?" Ben asked curiously, also touching the soft delicate fins on Kanou-a's waist.

Kanou-a continued to smile as he answered, "I have finally matured!"

"Huh?!"

"Well," Kanou-a touched the fins on his shoulders gingerly, "A merman, or mermaid, matures when they indulge in their first sexual intercourse."

Kanou-a's blue eyes glanced at Ben who blushed heavily, scratching the back of his neck, "Woah! So _that's_ why you won't tell me? 'Cause you were embarrassed to talk to me about sex?"

"Yes, Kirby." Kanou-a blushed gently too.

_So, in merpeople language, 'mature' means 'no virginity', huh? , _Ben mused.

Looking down at his open palms, Kanou-a spoke calmly, "A merperson matures on their first intercourse. Then on, they develop the real characteristics, with appearance of fins, elevated speed of swimming, sharpness of hearing, stronger jaws for hunting,-" he grinned down at his hands, and then shot them towards the opening of the well, fingers stretched and palm out, "- ... and the heightening of their powers!"

Suddenly, the water rose in a humungous wave with a thundering growl, making Ben shriek and jump sideways to grasp Kanou-a around the shoulder. Kanou-a laughed openly in happiness, as he brought his hands higher and higher, the large dangerous-looking wave growing in sync, but frozen in action by Kanou-a's command. Kanou-a's blue eyes reflected the colour of the water as it started to split into tendrils, waving and twisting like mad roots of a very alive upside-down tree, sprinkling water on the two ever-now-and-then.

"The full potential of a person's power can be used only once they are matured. I have never felt such a strong surge before!"

Ben watched as the tentacles of water writhed and twirled in a particular pattern, till his mouth fell open when he saw the water form a huge replica of himself and Kanou-a kissing, all just made of glass-like water! Ben gaped at the huge water-sculpture while slicking back his damp brown hair, his green eyes mesmerised, "Wow! Oh wow! Thats so cool! Look at that! Thats us! Wow! I'm the first to see a real water sculpture! Wow!"

Kanou-a observed the suprised Ben.

Ben's skin, although tanned, was glowing in its own aura of after-sex and happiness, and currently, enchantment. As he watched the sculpture with wide green eyes and an open grin, Kanou-a ran his eyes over the slim body, the taut tan skin marked with possessive but loving love-bites, the toned muscles, the feminine waist and hips which he had gripped as if for life, the long legs that he had days ago inspected when they met each other for the first time, a wilted crotch that stayed hidden between the thighs pressed together.

And then Ben felt the blue eyes looking at him. Ben turned to him with the gape, Kanou-a gazed at Ben and lowered his hands, but the sculpture didn't move or disintegrate, because his concentration and ability had exceeded its usual limit. He reached out, angling his body to face Ben, and held Ben's hands with his own, bringing both the tanned knuckles to his lips, whispering into the fingers while his eyes spoke with passion, "I am now ten times the power I was. All thanks to you, Kirby," Ben blushed heavily in reply, feeling the a burning glow spread across his flat chest.

Ben noticed the sculpture dissolve into tentacles again. He turned and his face glowed in the darkness as the water-tentacles aimed towards them and shot for them; swirling around him and Kanou-a, in a harmless tornado manner. Ben marvelled at the amount of concentration it required to do something like that with water, given the fact Kanou-a was still gazing at him.

Comfortably encased in a spinning circular wall of water, soft strands of drying hair fluttering in the wind currents thereby created, Ben blinked at him in a great blush, hands still held by the pale hands, knuckles pressed to Kanou-a's chin.

Kanou-a smiled back, "You have mated with me, and caused me to be so powerful. Although, I would eventually have to choose a mate this month, I'm glad I matured from someone I love seamlessly!"

Ben started a little, "M-mate?"

Kanou-a smiled in understanding, "Being a Prince, I have to mate with someone, in order to pass on my generation. We do not need to affix ourselves to one particular mate. In fact, the mate we choose to impregnate may not even necessarily be the one we matured with."

Ben looked at him oddly, clearly finding it difficult to grasp the concept. Kanou-a smiled, and kissed his knuckles, whispering, "You needn't worry about that; nor will I force you to come live with me as my mate. I love you, and shall only do as you please."

Ben smiled cutely, "An honour, Prince," Ben curled his fingers to hold the hands that held his. Then, Ben tugged his arms towards himself, making Kanou-a lean in. Ben leaned in as well, meandering his lips over Kanou-a's, while directing Kanou-a's pale hands around his tanned waist. When he released his hands, Kanou-a wound them on his own, pulling Ben closer. Ben snaked his own arms around the strong columns of neck as he kissed him passionately, actually enjoying the addition of small fangs that pricked his tongue enticingly.

The wall of spinning tornado water continued in a slower pace, its soft whirring hum resonating in echoes within the dark wet walls of the dimly lit cave.

"Kanou-a?"

"Yes, love?"

"Didn't I ejaculate in the water?"

"Yes, love."

"Uh, do sea-creatures ejaculate in the water, too?"

"Yes, love."

"So, the sea and ocean is literally loaded with sperms and we swim and breathe in them?!"

"Uh,... Kirby, what are sperms?"

o.o.o

Kevin sat at the base of the steps of the beach house. The house was raised by a meter from the ground by several strong stilts underneath. Steps, with rails, connected the floor of the house to the ground. It was on the lowest wooden steps that Kevin sat, idly chipping off a block of wood in his hand, with a finger that had adsorbed metal and shaped into a blade. The sunset's oncoming was obvious with the reds, magentas and oranges that cast instead or bright white and yellow. The sky away from the sun was darkening as well.

Distant caws and cackles of seagulls sounded, as did the waves crashing against the shore and the breeze blowing through the trees.

A moving shadow caught itself in Kevin's peripheral vision and he looked up, to see Ben walk dreamily towards he house, a dark silhouette against the setting sun.

Kevin raised an eyebrow.

Ben seemed lost in thought, his face sporting a dreamy look of longing, a sensual smile of love, and in one hand he twirled a purple-pink flower by its stalk between his fingers, while his other hand stayed in the pocket of his cyan-green shorts. The collar of his blue Hawaii shirt fluttered, the two opened buttons showing off his feminine clavicles, but thankfully hiding any hickeys. His green eyes were roaming up in the sky.

He walked with a small sway in his steps, and a tune humming on his curiously swollen lips.

As he walked up to the steps, he saw Kevin give him the odd look.

"Hello, Friend Kevin! Had a nice day?" his face radiated in a special glow of health and happiness.

"_Dude_, are you wasted?! Gwen's not gonna like it if she knows her little cous indulged in underage drinking!"

"Of course not! I haven't had a sip of that wretched palm vine! I shan't drink if I mustn't."

Kevin stared with a blunt expression. _Man, he sure sounds wasted..._

Ben was standing in front of the sitting Kevin. He looked down at the raven, and then knelt on one knee so that he was in eye level with Kevin's collarbones.

"What are you sculpting, Kevin?"

Kevin shrugged, he showed out the half completed figurine, "I want it to be a hawk, but it's not much. Actually, it's nothing. I'm no Michelangelo, but just bored so -"

Ben gazed at the figure, a smile erupting on his face. "Kevin," Ben smiled, and to Kevin's surprise (who had been expecting an acidic retort that he sucked in shaping wood), Ben reached out and placed his hand on the pale one that held the figurine, "I think it looks _amazing_."

Kevin stared and stared as if he had either heard wrong, or he had been hit on the head. He looked between Ben's dreamy look of appreciation on his glowing face, to the tanned feminine hand placed on his pale masculine fingers.

"Uh, thanks?" feeling tongue-tied in the stupidity and weirdness of Ben's behaviour, Kevin added, "You ok, Tennyson? You seem a bit..._airy_?"

Ben gave him a sweeter smile, as he got up, "The sculpture is beautiful, Kevin. I vote you continue completing it, for you say you are no Michelangelo, but you have talent," and then he winked smartly, "It's gonna make a good surprise present for Gwen."

Gaping that the Tennyson just winked at him, Kevin watched the happy teenager skip up the steps humming a tune. Turning back to his figurine, Kevin looked at it as if seeing it for the first time. His face lit up, "Hey, waddya know? It _is_ kinda good! For once, that idiot actually made sense! Though that itself is kinda,... disturbing?"

_And speaking of Gwen..._

"Hey Ben, you might wanna watch out for - " Kevin started as he twisted from his spot to warn Ben about his angry cousin. But before he could continue, Ben was already inside.

Kevin heard the Anodite's angry voice flow from inside, "_Benjamin Kirby Tennyson!_ Where in _heaven's sake_ have you been?!"

Kevin got up a few steps and peeped in to watch the showdown. Gwen stood akimbo in anger. Ben merely wore that stupidly dreamy look which clashed with Gwen's dragon-face scowl.

"Ah, yes, Cousin Gwen I -"

"Don't you 'Cousin Gwen' me!" brandishing a forefinger at him, and after a pause, she added, "Now that I think about it, what's that even supposed to mean?!"

"My dearest apologies to you, lovely cousin," and Ben skipped to his infuriated cousin who took his words for sarcasm, but she froze in surprise when Ben leaned in and planted a sweet kiss on her cheek. Stepping back, he hugged her, "I thank you for being so sweet enough to be concerned, but being the saviour of the Universe, I am quite capable of surviving a late curfew!"

Gwen was far too wonderstruck at Ben's sudden behaviour that she didn't say a word as he skipped away, to see Julie walk in from the inner room, demanding, "Ben! There you are! Where have you been? We were all worried you were kidnapped by some-"

"Dance with me Julie!" Ben sighed happily, as he held her hourglass waist and took her hand and twirled her around in rather elegant moves. "Ben!" Julie laughed, as Kevin and Gwen stared in shock, "Stop, Ben! You're making me dizzzzziiieeeeeee!" as she was sashayed around by an oblivious Ben, who finally let go of her waist to twirl her by her hand and then freed her completely. She spun softly to a stop, chuckling uncontrollably, "What's with you Ben?!" feeling a flower that had been pinned to her hair without her notice during their short dance.

Ben laughed happily at the three of the confused faces, "Well, should there be a reason for one to be simply happy?"

The three paused, and answered together, "Yes!"

Ben shook his head, suavely slicking back damp hair, only to have frayed fringes fall back rather sexily against his eyes, "So, what's for dinner?"

They all simply continued to stare at him.

"Prawns it is!" he clapped his hands happily, turning at the balls of his heels, "And I shall cook!"

There was a quiet pause, as the three took their time letting what just happened to sink in.

Then Kevin pointed out, "Uh, girls? Ben just said he'd cook."

"Oh my God!" Julie jumped, running towards the kitchen with Gwen at her heels, "Stop him, Julie! Before he sets the house on fire!"

Kevin shook his head, and stayed still, listening to the clatter of pots and pans, and spilling of spoons as the two nervous girls fought the oblivious Ben who was suddenly very agile.

Finally Kevin set aside his figurine and de-adsorbed the metal from his finger, and walked towards the kitchen.

"ALRIGHT! _Everyone out,_ _NOW!_ Leave the kitchen to the pro!" Kevin tied the strings of the waist apron around himself.

The girls gave out a sigh, scuttling a grinning Ben out of the kitchen.

- End of Chapter –

* * *

**_Oh my effing god! blue crotches! Have mercy! :D XD I nearly died laughing at myself! Ppfftthahahhahah! I was giggling the whole time as I wrote it hahah!_**

**_Oh and this time, I decided to stop cockblocking them, poor loving idiots. Heheh...this is what happens whn u watch too much yaoi. Sigh._**

**_And im so fricking cheesy! More cheesy than a double cheese burger! Gawd!_**

**_And there's so much lovin' in this chappie heheeh! :D wink wink!_**

**_And yeah Kevin is a great cook! :D_**

**_Oh and by the way, I'm so happy that in the last chapter whn they kissed, you reviewers were so frickin pleased! Haha I was like, "Oh, so they were anticipating? Heheh! wait till you read this!" _**

**_altho im not sure if the sex scene is proper :/ but i hope its ok enuf to you reader!_**

**_Review pls! Favs and follows are welcome too!_**

**_(PS: expecting a happily ever after? haha! next chaptr: drama, broken hearts and testosterone-induced confusion!_**

Kevin narrowed his eyes, his breath coming in a low drawl as he realised, _There IS no super-hot raven chick, is there?.._.

**_dum dum dum DUM! (epic fail *_*) )_**


	7. The Destined Night- Part 1: Blind Love

**_Waaaahhh! Om my god! a guest just named themself 'Benloveskanoua'! oh oh OH! I am so touched, it brought tears to my eyes! Really! (fuck, I'm sensitive. Pout.) whoever you are, a million thanks to you JUST for naming yourself that! it may be no big feat to you, but it means a lot to me that ppl are accepting my OC! Waaaaahhhh! TT_TT (sobbing for the joy) :D :D :D XD_**

**_Ok, um. All better now. :D_**

**_And yeas, ToxiBeautie; they did not just mate, they made LOVE! Theres a significant difference and we'll soon see that! :D_**

**_Ok, so lets start; this is a smallish chapter... so bear with me!_**

**_Warning : reader's discretion requested ( translation : fancy way of saying 'watch out!') this is yaoi, boys love, gay stuff. Lost homophobes, please take the exit to the left. Thnk you. have a nice journey._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Ben ten alien force._**

* * *

**_Meeting Kanou-a_**

**_Chapter 7 : The Destined Night of That Very Special Day – Part I: Blind Love_**

(Situation: the night, of the day Ben had sex with Kanou-a)

Kevin gave a grin as he watched Ben shuffle around the bathroom . Ben looked over his shoulder and returned the grin with a rather unintentional romantic smile, which made Kevin turn away in shock.

_What the hell's up with this weirdo, smiling like that?!_

"There, all done," Ben straightened up as he finished washing his face. Smiling with his freshened glow, Ben skipped away cheerily, after humming and half-singing "Good night, Friend Kevin!" at which the raven only looked on in utter bewilderment.

"I swear, he's lost his bolts for sure."

o.o.o

Meanwhile, Kanou-a swam through the dark waters, his eyes not really seeing as he looked ahead of him. A dreamy smile of longing played on his face, as he softly tore through the thick volume of clear water, past schools of tiny fishes scuttling away when he got too close. He thought, and thought, and thought more of his beautiful Kirby, the intimacy they had shared, the pleasurable heat the brunette brought to him, the ecstasy, the love, the feeling on contentment.

"Ah, it feels wonderful to be in love..." he whispered to himself. With his hands pressed to his sides, face pushed out, body parallel to the water surface that was several feet above, he spun like a torpedo as he swam swiftly, chuckling in his twirl that he could perform beautifully and fluidly thanks to his new fins, and his newly freed powers. His hair spun with him, slower and silky. He laughed in the mirth and fun of it, spinning faster and shooting through the water at the same time.

The evident ease of enjoyment was new to the simple-minded merman.

He swam faster and faster, lost in dreamy thoughts of cuddling the slim tanned body, his voice, his expressions, his lips, his eyes,...

"OH!"

Kanou-a struggled to halt his swift swimming as he spotted three silhouetted figures ahead of him, neither of the three fearing a collision. In fact, it seemed they had purposefully obstructed Kanou-a's obvious path, seeing the way they floated in the middle of the water with their hands folding across their chests.

Kanou-a flailed his hands unprofessionally, till he paused at a considerable distance from the three mermen.

"Brothers!" Kanou-a spoke politely in alarm, and then bowed, blushing in shame and apology, "Greetings. I didn't see you there."

Kaprosca, Koniel and Ke-inno nodded at Kanou-a in synch.

Kaprosca's voice came smooth and mature, "You are forgiven, Little Brother."

Kanou-a looked up and smiled at them. His three brothers were magnificent in beauty, grace and powers, and he gave them utmost respect.

Kaprosca, the Lightning Prince, was beautiful. He had long pitch black hair cascading lower his waist. He had the most austere glowing golden eyes, sculpted facial features, and a very serious air of importance and discipline. He was very well-built and muscular, with pale skin taut over the muscles. A chain of topazes, diamonds and pearls hung around his neck, and as a pendant there hung a single uncut raw ruby. Being the eldest, he had the most regal, orange-tipped, golden fins lining across the length of both shoulders, curving at the joints where his arms joined the shoulder, such that the fins resembled a spiked collar of a cape. He had the same kind of golden fins on his arms, along the Ulna bone, and the same on his tail lining his waist and the mid section of the tail which was the soft shade of warm pale yellow, ending with the two large fins of bright golden.

Koniel, the Fire Prince, was beautiful too. His long black hair hung in two bangs on either side of his face, and body of the hair was braided, snaking to mid-tail length. He had rich crimson irises, like sparks of fire that was warm when gentle but furious when kindled. He had lips pinker than the four brothers. He was slimmer than Kaprosca but well-built, lithe and swift, with the same pale skin. His chain of gems adorned rubies and diamonds, with occasional triangular pieces of ebony. He had maroon-tipped, red fins lining the back of his neck which then travelled inwards towards his clavicle, smaller ones tracing a spiral pattern on either of his biceps to stop above the elbow, a few fins on his forearms and waist. His long tail was of a gentle warm red that did not sting the eyes but did not seem dull either. Punctuating his tail were two large dark red fins.

Ke-inno, the Air Prince, was obviously beautiful as well. He too, as the three of his brothers, had long silken black hair, that beautifully curled a little at the ends. A soft curl dangled over one eye occasionally. His eyes were a silvery grey, serene and calm, but could turn cloudy grey in anger in angered. He was the most calm of the four brothers, his was an ability to keep a cool head and speak in soft solemness. He too was strong and had the body to prove it, yet he wasn't as brawny as the eldest brother. Dangling around his neck were small chunks of diamonds, pearls and ivory piranha teeth that contrasted his calm character. He had silver fins tipped with darker grey, which unlike the two elders, started from between his pectorals, and went up to his shoulders like a v-neck, growing in size as they reached the shoulder where it was the widest, and once past the neck, they curled a little at the shoulder blades thinning as it went. Similar fins lined his forearms and his waist as the four brothers. His tail was a beautiful glassy silvery-white, with large silver fins to match.

All four brothers had the same pale skin, the same black silk locks, and the same kind of fins although in different colours.

Kaprosca's golden eyes, the shade of fiery lightning, calmly laced over Kanou-a's new features. "You have matured, Kanou-a?"

Kanou-a looked suddenly fearful , which he hid with a smile, "Yes."

"Congratulations, Little brother Kanou-a," the three spoke in the same, no-nonsensical voice. Kanou-a nodded in gratitude.

"And where be your mate, Brother?" Kaprosca asked without any expression, but that of patience, on his face.

Kanou-a froze, opening his mouth but only a soft breath came out. Koniel spoke instead, "Is it a female or male mate?"

Kanou-a turned to gaze at the red irises gazing calmly at him. Before he could answer, which was unlikely given his tongue-tied situation, Ke-inno added, "Is the mate a Prince, or Princess?"

Kanou-a paused, contemplating how to answer. But again, before he could answer, Kaprosca finally spoke, "Merman, mermaid... or _human_?"

Kanou-a, who had been observing his own tail-fins in silence, shot up his head to stare in shock at the three brothers, who looked at him with triple sets of the same expression.

_Answer us, or dare to deny._

"Human male," Kanou-a answered in defeat, his head low in respect, hands clasped in submission, "I mated with a human male."

He was met with permeated silence.

"I... But how did you know of...?" Kanou-a stammered, feeling utmost dread creep into his stomach. He felt dry by the mouth. Kaprosca spoke smoothly, "We spotted you days ago, frolicking through the waters, with that two-legged _land_ _creature_. You were showing him about, weren't you, Kanou-a?"

"We have been taught for centauries to stay away from humans, and yet you travel about the ocean, showing the green-eyed being sea animals they know not of!"

"It was a marvel at first that it could breathe underwater, but seeing a merman was with it,... you put a spell on it, didn't you?"

Kanou-a looked away, feeling hurt, there bubbled smallish anger that he maintained well away from his voice, "A 'he', Brother Koniel, Kirby is a 'he'; a person, a being, like us in different way. And he... he's harmless, Brother."

"I find it pathetic that you have obtained your superior powers from a mere _human_", Kaprosca scoffed, saying the last word with contempt.

Kanou-a's eyes blazed, although he maintained his calm but eager voice, "Do not lower him, Brother! I _love_ him! I hurt when he is disgraced!"

The three brothers looked long and hard at their little one whose blue eyes flit in colours of sincere passion like a kaleidoscope.

Kanou-a spoke further, with great feeling in his words, "I did not just _mate_ with him, brothers; I _made love_ to him," his voice softened as he looked away, even a small smile forming in the corner of his lips as he relished the feeling, "The difference being that, 'mating' is decided by the mind, to survive, to follow rules; but 'making love' is done by the desire of the heart, due to love, care, unfathomable attraction, unexplained sincerity."

He looked up at the three solemn brothers who seem to have grasped the deep concept with blank looks however, and he continued to speak, "I love him greatly. I did not choose to mate him on purpose. I saw him, I met him, and he turns to be greatly different from the other humans. And I fell in love."

Kaprosca's voice flowed through the water to Kanou-a, "And quite unfortunate that he happens to be human. You do know that being a human male, he cannot bear your children, unlike the androgynous males in our kind."

"He could easily just be feigning love to learn of our secret society, although I find it hard to believe that you fell in love with him when there are plenty of beautiful merpeople in our kingdom."

"He may later betray us for gains, as do all humans."

"NO!"

Kanou-a's voice had raised in higher pitch against the arguments of his brothers who showed their surprise at Kanou-a by widening their eyes a little. "Kirby is _not_ such a human! Kirby is loyal, he is the Saviour of the Land World, he is innocent, he is good-willed and he loves me as much as I do him! _Pure_ and _true_!" Kanou-a's eyebrows squirmed, eyelids fluttered and lips pursed and his body shook in struggle. He took a long pause of realisation that he had just raised his voice against his elder brothers, something which he had never done before. His brothers gazed at him, as he whispered, "I am humbly sorry, I didn't mean to shout,..."

Kaprosca spoke, "You speak with great feeling in defence for your beloved. You are forgiven," after a pause trying to come to judgement, he spoke, "Of the three of us, I suspect that Koniel understands the most about the bond you hold by love, Kanou-a. What have you to say, Koniel?"

Koniel added in agreement, "Merpeople do not usually fall in love. Yet, as a merman who has a mate who also happens to be his lover," Koniel gave a silent sigh, "I too understand your pain, Kanou-a. However, my mate is also a merman, unlike in your case. It can't be helped, Little Brother, that your lover is human."

Kanou-a looked helpless and vulnerable. He turned to Ke-inno who had his eyes closed in thought. The silvery irises reappeared, with the soft voice flowing, "Yes, I agree with Brother Koniel; you may love him, but he cannot fulfil the requirements of a mate."

"What does that mean I must do? Must I stay away from him, never to see him again?" Kanou-a asked fearfully , turning to his eldest brother, who pinned him with a gaze of smouldering yellow eyes, "Seeing you are young, and this love is extremely strong, we will not interfere," he placed a cool hand on the younger's shoulder in a fatherly way, "Kanou-a, whom you love and how you love them, is beyond our righteous words to question. But however, we cannot let that human disrupt our life. If u say that he is harmless and will not cause trouble for our kind as the other pest-like humans do, then we believe you. But as per the rules set millions of years ago, he must never visit out kind, our kingdom or our people. If you trust him to keep us a secret and let us remain a myth to the humans, then please tell him to stay away from the merpeople. He may meet you, and you meet him, but never must he be seen or see our people. Do you understand?"

Kanou-a nodded at the ember eyes. Kaprosca nodded too, and pulled his hand back, retaining his regal posture.

"And you must find a mate to impregnate and bear your children of your calibre," Ke-inno added, "The mating season is upon us, and being the one brother left, you are to choose one this year."

Koniel spoke, "We shall arrange a possible mate for you, preferably one of royal blood. We only require your cooperation, Kanou-a."

Kanou-a looked dismayed as he gazed at them, his heart cringing because although he was not prohibited from meeting Ben, he still felt utterly miserable that he couldn't let Ben interact with the other merpeople. Especially when Ben had wished it once during their conversations.

"I hope you are not entertaining thoughts of disobeying us, Kanou-a?" Kaprosca asked slyly. Kanou-a shook his head swiftly, "O-of course not!"

And then there was the sudden guilt that hit the merman's stomach. That he would have to touch another person, the way he did Kirby. He felt he was betraying the loyalty and love he had for the brunette. Frowning in displeasure, he was shaken out of his thoughts as one of the elder brother's spoke, "Kanou-a, no one of the kingdom must know of your intimacy with a human, do you understand?"

"Yes, Brother Kaprosca," Kanou-a nodded obediently.

"Good," Kaprosca sighed calmly, "In a day's time, we shall arrange a mate for you." saying thus, Kaprosca turned to swim away, only pausing for his two other brothers. They had important work to do as adults. Kanou-a was just a kid compared to them.

"Kanou-a, I hope your lover does not interfere with the mating," Koniel added, turning away.

"If you really do love him, then you will have convinced him to meet the rules," Ke-inno nodded, turning away too.

Kanou-a watched the three look at each other. Bowing to his elder brothers, Kanou-a turned the opposite way and just swam off, heading for his secluded sauna grotto, to think and mentally prepare himself for how to break the news to his lover the next morning.

_I am so sorry, Kirby; in our blind love, we failed to see our vivid differences..._

___-_ End of Chapter Part 1 -

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**_Ok so um, tht was short and weird. Not really happy about this chapter, I feel its missing something. _**

**_If anyone is against the arguments of te mermen, thn shut the fuck up, coz this is MY story and thts how it goes. if u dont like it, pls dont flame but i WILL listen if u point out nicely. afterall, merman stuff are our own creations, and this is how i portray them. _**

**_Thnk you! :D review plssss! :D_**


	8. The Destined Night- Part 2: Fated Touch

_**Part 2!**_

_**Warning : again, reader's discretion greatly recommended. this is yaoi, boys love, gay stuff. This chapter contains ...um lemon stuff so watch out yeah? **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Ben ten alien force.**_

* * *

_**Meeting Kanou-a**_

_**Chapter 8 : The Destined Night of That Very Special Day – Part 2: Fated touch**_

(Situation: the same night, of the day Ben had sex with Kanou-a)

Kevin yawned as he woke in the middle of the night. Scratching the back of his head, and then combing his fingers through the displayed locks, he sat up, stretching impatiently.

"Man, I'm suddenly craving fruit yogurt."

He paused a few moments, trying to listen as if his stomach would soon speak to him about its whims. A low rumble sounded from the pit of Kevin's hungry tummy, making Kevin grin.

"Yup, yogurt it is." He swung off the comforter and hopped to his feet. He tugged at the hem of his black sweatshirt, straightening where the fabric had scrunched above his navel when he had tossed about in confused semi-sleep. And with that sweatshirt, he had paired jade knee-length trousers, not being the kind to sleep in his boxer briefs in case a sudden alien invasion struck and he needed to scamper.

He soon walked out of his dark bedroom, yawning and combing his silky hair with his long fingers, and made his way through the dark corridor to the dark kitchen, all the while making sure he did not wake the three other occupants. Not that he cared whether they could sleep or not. But because Gwen would kill him if he ruined her beauty-sleep.

Opening the fridge, Kevin's face glowed in the beam of yellowish white light that it barfed at him. He basked in the soothing cool air that blew out, as his hands hovered unsurely over an apricot yogurt cup and pineapple yogurt cup. A moment of indecision, and finally Kevin picked up the pineapple one.

Closing the fridge with a soft kick of his foot, he resisted the urge to whistle as he picked up a small silver spoon from the cutlery drawer, and tore open the top cover of the yogurt cup. Sniffing at the delicious scent, he scooped a generous amount of creamy white yogurt with chunks of pineapples in it.

"Mmmm..." he cooed as his taste buds burst in delicious tingles of pleasurable sweetness, the spoon still in his mouth as he walked back the way to his room. Up the stairs and down the corridor and already he had emptied half the cup.

As he happened to pass by Ben's bedroom, he heard a soft whimper.

Pausing, he raised an eyebrow and stared at the door. Another whimper came, and another, followed by a soft needy moan, muffled by the door and the walls that barred him out the room.

Now both of Kevin's eyebrows shot up. Staring at the door as if he were Clark Kent to see right through it, he contemplated on what to do. He could just walk in, thereby trampling Ben's privacy; or he could just walk off and _not _torture Tennyson the next morning lying about having caught dirty comics under his bed.

First choice taken, Kevin held the cup with the spoon deep in the creamy yogurt with one hand, and held the door knob with the other. Turning his fist, he heard the click as it gave away. Peeping his head into the vertical gap between the door and the doorframe, Kevin peered into the room.

It was dark, yes, but the window near the head of the bed had its curtains drawn open, spilling all the moonlight falling on it into the room and onto the body that lay on the bed.

Curiosity killed the cat, they say. Here, curiosity roughly pushed the raven into the room and dusted its hands in victory.

Kevin walked in, stopping several feet away when he saw properly what the problem was.

Ben lay asleep on the bed, his blanket pushed aside. He wore a navy blue shirt without prints, open at a few buttons, and the fabric stuck to his skin with sweat. He was panting and moaning softly in his sleep, and a very prominent bulge in his thin black pyjama Bermudas was easily outlined in the moonlight.

_Woah... _Kevin gaped, _He's having a wet dream!_

Kevin just stood there in the utter bewilderment of it, while watching as Ben groaned and moaned softly, writhing a little, trying maybe to speak but it all just came as incoherent noises soft against the darkness and whispery silence. The hillock of arousal remained in place.

_Heh, waddya know,_ Kevin smirked amused, _Even Tennyson can get hard._

Kevin took one step closer in curiosity. _Sure looks painful though, and he's not even touching himself..._

He frowned as Ben writhed and purred, eyes shut tight, fingers clenching and unclenching against the fabric of the white-with-yellow-flowers bedsheet. Kevin looked over his shoulder, glancing at the slightly ajar bedroom door, and then turned back to the turned-on Ben.

_I should just leave; this is none of my business,... but heck, that looks really painful, maybe I should see what he's gonna do about it?_

Finger tapping on the side of the yogurt cup, he waited; waited for one of the tanned hands to fly over from Ben's side and grip himself through his shorts. Or at least for Ben to turn on his side, or maybe even dry hump against the sheets. But Ben didn't move, he merely stayed on the spot, writhing, groaning, frowning in delicious frustration, bucking his hips into the air involuntarily, to meet nothing satisfying.

_Humph_, Kevin frowned, _the jerk won't even..._

_What do I care?_ Kevin rolled his eyes, turning away and walking to the door, but he paused when Ben gave out a long needy moan, sounding so much in pain, broken phrases now deciphered by Kevin's sharp ears, "Nghh... please... hurts...uuunhhhh..."

Biting his lower lip in confusion of what to do, Kevin turned back to the direction of the brunette.

_Saved the Earth from Vilgax, but can't even jerk off in his sleep,_ Kevin rolled his tawny eyes again.

He took a few more steps closer, till he could see in the bluish moonlight, Ben's face.

_Woah, that's some face!_ Kevin's eyes widened, taking in the expression of erotic frustration on the cherubic facial features of Ben, whose cheeks were tainted red, his forehead glistened in beads of sweat, dampening his brown fringe into a darker shade. His lips moved as he breathed, purred, moaned, groaned, and mumbled, an occasional 'Please', 'Touch', or as such could be made out.

_I bet he's dreaming of that hot chick he spoke of!_ _Or maybe there was some action and he wants it again?!... Whatever..._

Kevin had no idea that the reason why Ben was horny was because of Kanou-a's semen. It had mild aphrodisiac quality, and since he had come from inside Ben, its effects last longer. Ben is far too paralysed to move, hence unable to touch or relief himself.

Kevin placed the yogurt cup with the spoon on the bedside table. He folded his hands across his chest, as he ran his eyes over the writhing figure again. _He looks really in pain, no duh that's one big junior. Fuck, why won't he move?! Maybe he's too into his dream that he's can't. Hmm... maybe I should put his hand down there, then he'd do the rest himself._

What else was Kevin to do? As a guy who watched his best friend writhe helplessly in a wet dream, it was only natural he wanted to help.

Kevin looked over his shoulders again, increasingly conscious of the possibility that either of the two lady queens could wake up and walk in. Realising that Ben would be embarrassed to death if his ex or his cousin found him hard and soon to be wanking, Kevin decided to do the honour to cutting off that chance. _Not that I care, but a guy should understand another guy, right?_

He walked to the bedroom door, and carefully closed it from inside. He then pulled out a Silencer. It was nifty device, about the size of a Plumber badge, or smaller. He had invented in secret. When attached to a wall, it would make the room that the wall is a part of, completely soundproof.

Kevin held the disk-like Silencer in his palm and pressed it to the wall near the door. It stuck on the wall like a suction cup. Kevin pressed the centre of its surface, and it blinked concentric circles of blue. A wave of blue laser swam across the wall, took off to the left to the next wall, and licking over all four walls of the room before it came back to the silencer and disappeared. The disk continued to pulse in blue and black, showing it was active.

_Good_, Kevin smirked triumphantly, and turning to Ben when he heard a whimper, his smirk fell as he groaned, _Urgh! Let's get this done with before the idiot wakes up and accuses me of breaching security of his room! Or worse._

Gingerly he walked to Ben. Unconsciously, Kevin's lips parched as his tawny eyes watched Ben's flushed face nearly on the verge of howling for an orgasm.

Rolling his eyes again, Kevin reached out and carefully gripped Ben's left hand that was closest to him. The Omnitrix-clad wrist came up as Kevin raised it, and he dropped it artlessly on Ben's crotch. To his displeasure, the hand just slid off and fell back to its previous spot beside Ben' abdomen.

_Fuck! He won't even touch himself! Shit, it looks really bad, I can almost feel it! All the blood pooling there, it's gotta hurt bad!_

Turning back to the bed, ignoring the way the moans and whimpers pricked the back of his neck, Kevin's mind set to work on what to do. He folded one hand across his own chest and placed his elbow on it, to prop his chin on his palm, deep in thought. _Guess I'll just wake him, then he'd see what's happening. I might even offer to never talk of seeing this again; though that's a good blackmailing opportunity wasted, but heck, he's my best friend, right?_

Kevin grinned and shook his head in the stupidity of the situation, and reached out for the second time, bending a little, to shake Ben by the left joint of his shoulder.

"Tennyson? Psst, Tennyson! Tennyson, Tennyson, wake up! You've got a major hard-on, man! It hurts to just look at it!" he even glanced sideways, and caught sight of the hillock throbbing within the trouser. For no apparent reason, Kevin jerked his head away little too fast.

Instead, his got a close up of Ben's blushing cherubic face. Gazing long and hard, Kevin looked away gain, as if, if he stared too long his own face might catch fire.

_Shit, this is messed up. NOW what?_

He tried to wake Ben again, but he didn't wake, but kept on tumbling cute and hot noises from his warm mouth.

Kevin nearly jumped out of his skin when Ben's hand accidentally brushed across his muscular thigh that was pressed against the edge of the bed. Feeling the strong leg's presence in Ben's unconscious state, his face thrown to the side in exhaustion, the hand reached up and grabbed the hem of Kevin's shirt as if for help.

_Oh, God...! _Kevin jumped, pulling back. Ben's now empty hand fell to his side, going back to clenching and unclenching the sheets, trying to find solace where there was none.

Kevin stepped back several times, his balance knocked out for a bit. As if he had been strangled, he gripped his throat, blinking away his shock_. Creepy that I'm creeped out..._

Regaining his composure, he walked back to the edge of the bed, but this time, away from the hands, which meant he was now near the brunette's torso. Kevin stared long and silent at the bulge, catching a spot of dark stain forming where the precome obviously beaded from the tip of the crotch straining in the shorts.

Frowning and then relaxing; his mind snapped at him, _You gonna help him or not?!_

_HOW should I help him?!_

_There's only one way now! He won't do it himself, you have to do it FOR him!_

_DO IT FOR HIM?! YOU FUCKING CRAZY?! IM NOT TOUCHING HIM! NOT THERE!! _Kevin looked confused as his mind fought with his common sense.

Ben purred, ".. uurrrr...aahhh..." arching his back, a few buttons of his shirt opened more and revealed a bit of his tanned skin on his stomach in the bluish moonlight. Kevin gulped in indecision. He was not sure whether he would survive the nightmares that would follow if he touched Ben _there_, but there was a part of him that pitied Ben's condition.

_Know what? Do it. He don't have to know. Just do it and leave. He'd be relieved, and your conscience will be safe too. It's all just really funny. Laugh at it. Go help him, he's your best friend, right?_

_Yeah, actually that's what makes this weirder._

With the decision taken, Kevin walked around the bed, till he stood at its foot. Swallowing a nervous lump in his throat, he leaned out and climbed on the bed. He crawled up on all fours, till he nervously had Ben under him. Supported by his hands on the bed on either side of Ben's head, and knees on the bed on either sides of Ben's knees, Kevin watched Ben squirm and writhe but clearly sensing a presence at close quarters, the body struggled to remain still. The face contorted with needy scowls and frustrated frowns, the hands lifting a little. Kevin winced each time a part of Ben touched him as if it burnt his skin, maybe the hand, or the chest that arched, or the legs moving in confusion.

Carefully, Kevin took his right hand off the bed, supporting his upper-body's weight on the left hand and two knees. Moving his body a little sideways for room, he brought his shaking hand lower, and lower, ignoring the coos and moans that made him unawaredly lick his lips.

His hand froze when he felt the warm wet bump in the middle of his palm. _He's already leaking a lot..._

Holding his breath, egged on by his mind, he reached a little up the bulge and hooked his fingers into the waistband of the shorts, his fingers sliding against the smooth skin. In a single downwards shove, the shorts came to Ben's knees. Kevin tried not to stare down. But it was too late by the time he willed his mind; he was already staring at it. Rock solid hard on with a bright pulsing head weeping at the tip. It was not so big, but relatively to Ben, it was.

Clenching his teeth in the absurd awkwardness of the whole situation, he gulped as he felt his hand suddenly grasp the hot shaft in a bout of courage.

Two breaths fell sharp. Kevin's and Ben's. Ben stopped his moans, face thrown to his left, neck wide and visible, pausing to breathe as if he understood help was at his feet, sorry, crotch.

_If Gwen or Julie walks in on this... I. am. so. TOAST._

Heartbeat ringing in his ear, he had succeeded in phase one. Now for phase two.

Holding his breath again, Kevin's hand moved, and he watched in surprise, Ben's chest moved up, arching erotically and slowly in synch to his hand, purring in pure pleasure, "_Ah... so good._..." Perhaps it was gravity that was making Kevin's mouth water, because he found himself swallowing again, eyes steadily watching the brunette. He had never seen Ben make such erotic faces before, and he almost looked like a girl. He even smelt of a delicate water lily, the flowery but suave kind.

Kevin's hand kept a slow pace, trying to adjust more himself to the reality than Ben to the pleasure. However, the agonisingly slow rhythm was making Ben impatient. Now that Kevin was at even closer quarters, he could make out more phrases from Ben's lips bruised from self-biting.

"..._faster... nngghh... please_..."

Kevin would never take orders from Tennyson. But this was no order; it was request, it was beseeching, it was begging. It was tugging at Kevin's navel and he found his hand obeying Ben involuntarily.

"_Haaa...haaa_..." Ben panted, the red of his cheeks glowing in the dark, mouth open with a red tongue squirming in it as if for another tongue to friction against.

Kevin licked his lips again, no longer feeling the embarrassment, or weirdness. He was far too intent on watching this new side to Ben than bother what it was doing to himself.

As his fist slick with slimy precome slid up and down the organ, in ways and in ministrations of fingers that he had read over the net and used on himself even, Ben purred and moaned more, but this time, the frustration had smoothened away into pleasure, agreement and want for more. He bucked into the hand, Kevin finding it kinky and rather a bit of a turn on, but the back of his mind warned him this was a _guy_ and he was his _best friend_, and this was just an effort of _help_.

Keeping that in mind, gripping on to the fact as a grape-wine in case things went south, Kevin continued to do his 'job'. The air between their selves permeated from Ben's heavy breathing, Kevin unaware that he was slowly panting too, but that could just be from the oddness of the situation and the confusion of whether what he had decided to do was justified or not.

His thoughts of philosophy disintegrated when he caught a deep waft of that scent of lilies again, now realising his face had dipped a little and was dangerously near Ben's slim neck.

He had to admit, Ben was really much of a good-looking right now... nearly cute, too cute to-

_Woah, woah, woah, Levin, you just did NOT think Ben's cute! Stop that, he's your buddy!_

_If he was a girl, I might just..._

"Kuh...kuhnnohaaaahhh..."

_Wait, WHAT?!_

Kevin's eyes widened at the phrase Ben had just moaned long and in longing. Freezing, he stopped. Ben's sleeping state disagreed, and he pushed out his hips, causing the fist to slide to the base. Kevin frowned in confusion and disbelief, shaking his head a little, he continued to pump his fist in medium pace, immediately making Ben's face turn from confused to contented.

"_Ah.. so good_..." Ben whispered in his sleep, making Kevin's face heat up oddly.

Kevin frowned more.

"Euuggnnghhhh kaa... Kuh.. koohhhh... kuhhnnohhhaaaaa"

Kevin's eyes widened more.

_Did he just... say my name?_

_"Kuhhhh...nnnnh...ooohhhhhaaaa, fasssster, fasssssterr..." Ben breathed again in dense passion, a slow smile on his lips._

_There, just there! He said my name again!_

It was unfortunate. Or fated to be. Kevin had misunderstood completely.

What Ben was saying was 'Kanou-a'; but Kevin deciphered the 'kuhhh-nnnnhh' as 'Kevin' and the 'ohhhaaaa' as a moan. Extremely unfortunate, that Kevin had no idea.

Kevin stared and stared at the brunette's face, unable to ignore the burn growing all over his own face, or the sweat that trickled precariously down the ridge in his back.

No. This was no longer funny. He did not want to laugh or grin anymore. He was not able to believe this, not a bit.

_Ben's fantasising about...ME...?! He's gay?! Ben's gay?! No, this is wrong... this is...no way! I'm hallucinating..._

Kevin narrowed his eyes, his breath coming in a long drawl, _There IS no super-hot raven chick, is there?_

_Super hot, raven, really pale, sorta alien? That's all just me._

Slicked fingers slid up and down the shaft, occasionally a wet thumb ran across the head and slit, earning submissive purrs from the pleased and asleep brunette. Kevin found himself gulping again, when Ben uttered that same name, making Kevin's mind race a mile a minute.

_So Ben's thinking of me?! And he's getting ?... but..., now I'm confused!_

His mind came to a stop although his hands did not, when Ben's left hand reached out and gripped the muscular arm that moved to pump at Ben's groin. Slim fingers stroked taut pale skin, sending chills across Kevin's body. Not realising that he was shuddering momentarily, he continued his movements, not shooing away Ben's warm hand on his bicep.

"_Haa...haa... faster nnghhh...so good...Kunnhhhhn ... ooohhaaa,... please more..."_ Ben moaned, feeding Kevin's ears with more broken phrases he couldn't decipher. Breathing in the scent of lilies was not helping either, Kevin found a sweat drop travel down his temple to his neck.

His mind continued its analysis.

_No, its just some dumb misunderstanding... he's probably just thinking about that raven girlfriend and –_

Green eyes shadowed by heavy eyelids gazed up at him. Right at him.

Kevin froze, as if the entire dimension of Time had frozen too.

He only stared back down at the emerald irises sparkling in unbridled lust and need. Ben was half awake. Well, leaning more towards the asleep part though, but he could see Kevin in his vision distorted from being half engulfed in sleep.

Kevin nearly fainted in the shock.

_I'm done for! Ben's just caught me gripping his cock in the middle of the night, in his bed, in his bedroom!_

Frozen and undecided on whether to take his hand off but leaving it there as a result; he continued to gaze at the flushed face that looked back up at him, hoping Ben was too asleep to notice this was Kevin. But his hopes shattered, when the half-asleep Ben smiled, raising weak hands to Kevin's face, barely making it in their shaking state. The fingers framed the manly cheeks of the petrified raven, tips disappearing into the rush of dark silk lock, while the thumbs softly brushed across the ends of the thin lips. Ben gave a barely register-able smile, whispering, "Kunnnhhhooooaaa..._dont stop_, ... _more... touch me more..."_

Kevin's jaw nearly dropped, but it didn't maybe because he was clenching them under the effect of the large balloon of Reality, blowing up inside him.

_Gah! He knows it's me... he's half asleep, but he knows it's me, he's thinking it's a dream! So he IS thinking about me! Ben's fantasising about me, he's getting hard over me... this is... fucking insane..._

His wet fist unintentionally tightened around the strong column of rigid muscles, making Ben purr out in agreement; the fingers, that held Kevin's face, slipped more into the dark hair.

_Maybe he's drunk, or wasted... no he doesn't stink of anything like that... he's perfectly semi-asleep, and - ...oh fuck!_

Ben was gazing up at him again, giving him the long unbroken gaze, his lips parted as he panted audibly, every raking breath warming Kevin's face. Kevin gulped, swiping his tongue across his lower lip when he felt himself drool a little.

_Insane... insane... not happening... Ben's crushing on me... not happening... I'm liking this... not happening..._

Ben squirmed, whining and bucking against the hand that tried to help him. Kevin picked up the pace a notch, Ben responding in breathy moans, hands now gripping the brawny shoulders for support.

Ben then gazed at him again, under the effect of sweet sleep.

Meanwhile, in Ben's wonderful dream, he had been drifting in the dark bluish water, that was suddenly so warm and seductive, making him hard and wanting; but except him, there was no one around, even when he tried to lash around and search for a particular merman, he was nowhere... he had been trying to swim, searching, calling, thrashing, nearly howling,... and then he saw him, Kanou-a, appearing like a halo-laced angel, smiling down at him, blue eyes gleaming lovingly. Ben felt hand press to his weeping length and rid him of his shorts, fingers curling around his rigid organ, pleasing him with the act. Finally Kanou-a was here to satiate him, smiling down at him, his face shining in the moonlight, his black hair spilling around his face, eyes looking curiously at him, tip of a pink tongue running across his lower lip enticingly. _Kanou-a ... Kanou-a... Kanou-a..._

_"Kunhhnnnoohhaaa..."_ Ben groaned deeply as the raven's hands pumped faster, while still gazing at him right in the eye.

"B-Ben?" Kevin whispered, half of him hoping Ben would wake up and push him off with a torrent of mad curses of indignance which would stop this weird situation, and the other half of him wished Ben would acknowledge his presence and let him continue.

"Haa... more,..." Ben cooed in his semi-sleep.

Kevin bit his lips when he felt his own pants tighten.

_No, Levin NO, you are NOT going hard over Ben!_

_... But he's so sexy right now... _

_WHAT?! NO! He's not! He's gay but that don't mean YOU are! Snap out of it! Snap out of it! Snap out of it! Snap... out... of it...? -_

His train of thought stopped again when he felt the fingers hold his face again in their cocoon of soft, warm palms, the raven hating to admit that he loved the feel of them against his cheeks. He felt them drawing him lower, and he opened his brown eyes that he didn't notice he had closed in the first place.

His train of thought simply sidetracked and fell into a man-hole.

They were so close; those green eyes shimmering with lusted depth, sucking him in like a void, drowning any resolve, any common sense. He had never seen Ben so close, nor seen the sexual glint of the eyes, or the needy expression ever before.

Hot breath raked over each other's faces, Kevin gulped again. His heart was beating so loudly he could barely hear anything else, it was as if the entire room was thumping with the frantic racing pulse painfully straining at his chest.

"_Kahhnnnn... uhhnng... haaaa_..._haaaa_..." Ben tried to speak, but his words smoothened and dissolved into whimpering purrs, head digging back into the bed, and Kevin found himself gazing at a vast expanse of slim tanned neck.

It was an ache now, an odd dull ache of desire that had no justification, no reason and no proper argument to be born. Kevin found his body straining to maintain his hold on sanity and his supposed heterosexuality.

Below, his hands were slipping around the penis as Ben's precome flowed more through. Somewhere in the same level, and against the will of the mind, another crotch twitched and strained within cloth.

Everything turned upside down, however, when Ben moved. His face was now gazing up at Kevin again, the fist and the hip meeting in every thrust and buck. Glazed jade gazed hooded into the confused and slightly cloudy chocolate. Before Kevin could do anything, Ben drew his face towards himself. Kevin found himself helplessly hypnotised, and he let his face lower and lower. Kevin's mouth opened to breathe.

Small flush lips sandwiched Kevin's lower lip. Brown eyes rolled back and lids draped over his eyes, unawaredly savouring the soft touch with the tip of his tongue running over the clasped ones, as Ben kissed him.

_Wait... what? WHAT?! WHAAAATTT!_

Wide alarmed mahogany eyes stared in dubious shock, inwardly screeching the hell out of himself, that he and Ben were connected at the mouth, Ben still gazing at him with those half asleep eyes.

_No... no... no this can't be... Ben, he's ... no...- woah._

He found his mouth melting as Ben tilted up and sealed his open mouth with Kevin's. Passionate swirls of the foreign tongue invited the frozen one in Kevin's mouth for a dance. Before he had a grip of how to move away, his tongue was battling Ben's in slow dense friction.

_Fuck... feels so good..._

Kevin struggled to stop, and failing miserably he desperately gave in, brown eyes relaxing into a half-lidded gaze, to finally a complete close; frenching Ben in renewed eagerness before his mind could snap back and deny him the pleasure he was suffering now, while Ben's subconscious state happily responded his kiss to 'Kanou-a'.

Their mouths moved with passion, and now _two_ sets of moans reverberated from the bed. Ben's knee drew up to adjust himself, and absentmindedly brushed Kevin's groin. Kevin's grip on the hard crotch responded with a tighter vice, Ben arching into the powerful chest he was now pressed against.

Kevin's body now took over, his mind pushed to the back for now, where it stood grumbling and cursing at the turn-out of events. What had been an amused offer to help, had turned into an erotic hand-job with a bonus kiss.

Kevin's fist shot up and down the shaft in speed that was fuelled by Ben's fiercer kiss. Kevin could tell with his hazed-up mind nonetheless, that Ben was nearing climax. Ben had bitten the raven's lips, twice, and Kevin had not even felt the pain amidst the torrent of pleasure.

Fingers fisting into the dark hair, Ben pulled his 'Kanou-a' as close as he could, not questioning why the hair was dry although sweat-dampened, why the hair was short, why there was cloth covering the body pressed against him, why he had legs, why there were no prickly uncut gems between their chests, and why he could taste creamy pineapple.

Meanwhile, Kevin had not even realised that his own erection had sprung inside his shorts and was now nearly about to burst. For now, it frictioned against Ben's knee, and he too neared the edge, caught up in the brief pleasure.

His mind tried to spark back into his top priority list, but it was pushed back again, as Ben sucked on his tongue, just the way he liked it.

Sure, Kevin had kissed Gwen once, or twice, but never actually took the dare to French her densely. She seemed to consider her mouth a virgin as well, as if it would go impure if Kevin dwelled his tongue in! The withdrawn romance, alongwith with her pride and high-nosed character were one of the reasons why he had broken up with her. But he had never, under the million stars of the sky, _ever_ guessed he would have the best kiss of his life delivered from the male Tennyson instead.

"Uhhhnnnggh," Kevin groaned, trying to pull back to breathe, but Ben who seemed to have no problem with the lack of oxygen, latched his teeth on Kevin's lower lip, not allowing him to go but a few inches away from his face. A few moments of regained breath and Kevin returned to ravaging Ben's eager mouth, absolutely against the mind that screeched in terror at him.

Faster the hand pumped, deeper went the kiss, Ben's hands wound around the neck, gripping the shoulders with such strength that he left red crescents on Kevin's skin under the cloth of his shirt.

Kevin panted against Ben, as Ben panted against Kevin, the sounds ringing loud in the heated air, saved from the girls by the Silencer. Breathing in a nearly coordinated synchronisation, Kevin's worked-up hand sped to the last strokes of ministrations, till he felt the smaller lithe body tense, give a spasmic jerk, and the crotch twitched under his fingers.

"AAAAHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh..."

Immediately, his hands were washed with hot gushes of semen that spurt out in force, spraying a few between themselves, most of it leaking over Kevin's fist that did not let go of the organ till it softened and wilted in his palm.

Removing the sticky slimed hand away, he mindless placed his coated palm on the bed beside Ben's hip, not caring that he created a wet handprint on the cloth.

_The sheet's ruined, anyway. _

Breathing heavily, although it was Ben who had orgasmed, Kevin groaned thinking about his own tethered crotch, realising he would have to tend to it later.

But suddenly, the teenager (who had lasped into blissful euphoria of climax and laxed his attention from Kevin's lips) under him clutched Kevin's face in his palms again, his eyes shining happily from under his hooded eyelids.

"K-kk... I love youuuu..."

The world had stopped spinning for Kevin. He stared at the green eyes, searching for any signs of consciousness, and there he saw that Ben was half awake; but sadly Kevin misunderstood, taking that Ben's words for him, while all this time, Ben only saw a loving face with blue eyes and black hair and a blue tail.

In the shock of the revelation of those special three words, Kevin's right shoulder collapsed forwards without a hand to support it. His head crashed into the crook of Ben's neck and shoulder, feeling the heat of the body flow and meld into his. The feeling of the whirring news that threw him off balance had led him to lose what little control he had over himself.

Before he knew what was happened, pleasure and spiked climax knotted tight in the depths of his groin, and his body jerked, and he came.

_"Ahhnnngghh... Fuck..."_

Waves of satisfaction rocked him for a few moments in the aftershock of his orgasm which was the most spontaneous he had of his life. He lay helpless and paralysed on Ben, his face buried in the warmth of the smallish flat chest. Breathing long and slow, he let the frayed nerves settle gently around him, while his scattered and exploded mind settled around him too, like dust on a table.

_Did I just..?. Ben said he..?.._

Gulping once again, running his tongue on his swollen lips, he gathered his shocked mind to its proper frequency.

_Ben said he loves me. And I came at it._

He felt his face burn, mostly around his cheeks, as he closed his eyes and closed out the world for a few seconds, listening to nothing but the beating of his recovering heart, the softer calmer beats of Ben's heart drumming within the chest he lay against, and the soft breathing of the now completely asleep Ben smiling in contentment.

Opening his eyes gain, he felt the cool breeze that also made the curtains flutter a little and the moonlight dance across the bed. It was like a visual alarm clock, it jerked the mind (who had been rudely stashed away) come out in a rage, with copious amount of analysing and data to think through.

"No, no..." Kevin whispered, as he sat up by the help of his palms, looking down at the sleeping Ben.

_I love you, Ben._

"No," Kevin denied softly his own confession. He felt his stomach clench and tighten.

_I love you, Ben._

"No," he breathed again, unable to believe what his mind had processed.

_I love you._

"NO!" he hissed angrily, his characteristic nature of brutish rage took over, and he sat back up, still shaking from the hypnotising exhaustion of post-climax. Ben whimpered a little from the hiss, and Kevin froze.

This could all have been just a big illusion to Ben, he may have not even meant him, after all, he said only 'I love you', and not 'I love you, Kevin', which made the raven's heart thud dully. But whether Ben loved him or not was not the disaster that had occurred.

It was that... Kevin had fallen in love with Ben.

Out of the blue.

No reason, no justification, no argument.

"No!" he groaned, his eyes whizzing around the pinkish face of the sleeping brunette, as if trying to read any answer on the skin that would tell him that he _didn't_ love his frenemy best friend just because he happened to touch him in the wrong places and helped release a whirlpool of sexual pleasure.

But the cherubic face of the hero only reminded him how much he desired to kiss him, to hold him, to touch him,...

"Shit, no!" Kevin struggled against the dawning truth, defeated and yet fighting a losing battle.

Shaking, he moved away, letting his body roll to his the side and sit up at the edge of the bed. He stared down at his soiled shorts within which he had come, and then glanced back at the stained sheets, and the sprinkled semen dotting Ben's stomach and thighs. Kevin grit his teeth in utmost anger as he reached out and tugged up Ben's trousers to cover his sleeping cock, and then pulled the comforter forward, completely covering the mess underneath, so that when Ben woke, he would think it was all a wet dream that he superbly and profusely came to.

Standing up, nearly stumbling on legs that were frozen and numb, Kevin stood still, letting the energies of life leak back into his muscles. Once he was sure he could walk, he gulped at the acidic scratch of his throat, and moved to the bedside table, picking up the yogurt cup with shaking fingers.

Giving one last withering glare at the sleeping brunette, Kevin stormed towards the door, plucking out the Silencer brutally from the wall, shoving it into his pocket, and silently treading on bare toes to the bathroom.

Once inside, he closed the door and fixed the Silencer on the wall as well. He was going to have to shower in this case, and if the girls heard him shower in the middle of the night, they might get suspicious, and then they would go to Ben and find him happily snoring amidst a pool of his cum, it would only be obvious their exaggerated minds would point at Kevin, saying he molested Ben.

_Which was what technically happened._

_No, not really, he was asking for it. And you gave it to him, and he returned the favour with the best ki-..._

_I love Ben._

"No! I don't! I don't I don't!" Kevin repeated to himself, although he knew that each time he denied it, the fact only planted firmly deeper into his mind. He pressed his back to the door and slid down it, in tired defeat. Landing softly on the floor, he hung his head, trying to collect his thoughts that hurt his head and made his heart ring. Ignoring the wet irritation of his soiled shorts, he calmly stared without seeing, till he realised he had been gazing at the yogurt cup tilt in his hand and spill a dollop of creamy white on to arm.

_That bitch Voodoo hand-reader was right. _

_"You will soon fall in love with someone extremely unexpected, and this love will create as lot of disappointments for you, Sir."_

Musing over the events of the night and fearing the worst consequences of his dangerous new revelation, Kevin scooped the yogurt-dollop from his arm with a finger, and brought it to his lips, sucking off the white godliness, savouring the taste and realising its sharp contrast in comparison to how Ben had tasted, sweet and bright and amazing.

Groaning that his thoughts did bittersweet circles and always ended up with Ben, he lowered his finger from his mouth and sighed.

He suddenly sat up, staring at the finger he had licked.

_Fuck! I had used this hand to jerk Ben off!_

The perverted side of him cooed, _No wonder the yogurt tasted tangy and sexy._

_OH, JUST SHUT UP!_

_-_ End of Chapter Part 2-

* * *

_**My god. thats the longest extended handjob ever! I shud really not lengthen things. Sigh. its my first lemony stuff. nuff said.**_

_**Oh Kevin... waaaaahhhhhh! Kevin! No! U misunderstood! Ben loves Kanou-a! Waaaaahhh TT_TT so sad. So srry kev! Sniff sniff ! **_

_**this was wht i meant by testosterone induced confusion! if anyone here objects kevins decision to help ben jerk off, please stuff your objection up your ass. :) thnk you.**_

_**andkevin has a self-contrdicting mind, like me.**_

_**oh and i chose pineapple as a dedication to Tawny The Disturbed, the author of my fav Sky High fic, Oxygen. wow thts one hellaava story! Tawny The Disturbed adores pineapples so... yeah. :D**_

_**More coming soon! :D**_

_**Review pls!**_

_**Thnk you! :D**_


	9. Read my palms

**_Oh my god! another guest with the name 'Kanou-a-a x Ben' ! you all are going to kill me with emotions! (or are you the same guest with the name 'benloveskanou-a'?)_**

**_Love you all soooooooooooooo much! Mwaaah!_**

**_Oh and I think many of you have become like Kevin, misunderstanding everything! Guys... Kevin, I repeat, did NOT molest Ben; he was just trying to help, but he had no idea that it would backfire into a handjob+kiss+iloveyou! And now hes in trouble coz his hidden feelings have emerged and it don't want to back down again! Damn, im evil!_**

**_Bytheway, I still have to reply to a few reviews, srry I was so busy and then updating, don't worry ill reply to all your reviews in a bit, ok? Thnx for reviewing again!_**

**_Ok, so the drama continues... one of my longest chapter EVERR! kevin-centered too!_**

**_Warning: this story had contained sexual intercourse between a human and merman; and a really long handjob in the previous chapters, and now harsh language... so ... nuff said._**

**_Disclaimer: if Man of Action is reading this fic on a lovely afternoon... pls do know I have no ownership over your awesomely awesome cartoon and your even awesomer idea of bringing Kevin into alien force as a good guy! (shiny eyes)so, I do not own Ben ten at all, except my lovely ,hot, super hot, merman Kanou-a!_**

* * *

**_Meeting Kanou-a_**

**_Chapter nine : Read my palms_**

Morning.

Kevin gave out a long groan.

Sitting up, he rubbed the back of his neck, wondering why it hurt, and looking about he realised that he had been lounging against the headboard of the bed in an awkward way.

Kevin had had no sleep last night. Every time he closed his eyelids, he saw green eyes, pink cheeks, red lips, tan skin, white cum; he was being haunted. Every time he stared to go drowsy, his mind would replay last night and in the exhilarating feeling, his heart would attempt to jump out his chest, thereby waking him sweating and breathless. Even though he had a good warm shower, and was deep in his bed, he tossed and turned, unable to shut down his stubborn mind that wanted to keep thinking and analysing his relationship with Ben, his friendship, his enmity, his everything in relation to Ben.

It had all now connected for him; the way Ben had been glancing at him a few days ago, how he would smile at him with that special smile. Kevin had thought Ben had gone psycho, but now he took it that Ben was smitten by him. A few moments of contemplation and Kevin had taken every of Ben's weird behaviour as symptoms of Ben's gayness towards him.

And the worst part for Kevin is that Kevin had become gay for Ben.

His pride in the fact that he had been straight all this while did not let him accept his mind's conclusion that he loved Ben.

And he had only managed a half an hour's closed-eye.

Grumbling colourful curses, he got off the bed. He gave a long look at his right hand, remembering all too well where it had been last night, and his stomach churned to appoint that the yogurt nearly made its way up his oesophagus. Gulping, he trudged to the bathroom.

By the time he had taken another shower, scrubbing himself extra hard as if he could wash off his new forbidden feelings for Ben(but ended up realising it only gave him red skin but no riddance of Ben) and walking down the stairs, he could hear the girls bustling about in the kitchen, making breakfast.

He dully made his way to the counter and plopped on the chair, resting his elbow on the counter, and his drowsy head on his swaying palm, nearly toppling over as he semi-slept in the sitting position. His arm swayed dangerously, but a firm slim hand suddenly caught his wrist before he would fall sideways off the table.

"Kevin! Watch yourself!" Gwen's voice floated into his half-listening ear. Kevin sat up from his hunched posture and rubbed his eyes with a groan, and gave Gwen a blank look, "Sorry."

Gwen looked down at him, a motherly frown marring her features. With her arms crossed across her chest, she peered at him with green eyes.

_Fuck,... they almost look like Ben's... _

"Kevin, you look terrible!"

"Thanks for the compliment," Kevin growled, and gave out a long heavy yawn, patting his open mouth and then slumping his head sideways on to the counter, his hair spilling over his face.

Gwen scrunched her nose in displeasure, "No sleep last night? You don't look like you slept a wink!"

"Right answer. Someone hand the lovely Tennyson (yyyyyyaaaaaawwwnnn) a bumper prize..."

Gwen shook her head. Julie walked in and saw the pitiable sight, clutching on her bowl on mixed fruits. She looked at Gwen, and then at the sleeping Kevin, "Aw, what's wrong?"

"Dunno," Gwen shrugged. She reached out and stroked his head, running long manicured fingers through the silken locks gently damp after the shower, and brushed the locks aside so she could see his horizontal face, "What's wrong, Kevin? Why didn't you sleep last night?" her voice was gentle and affectionate, so he simply turned, to look up at her, head still placed on the counter as he groaned.

"Nightmare. Saw a fucking sick nightmare."

As far as it was, it definitely a nightmare. A realistic nightmare. A realistic, beautiful, pleasurable, romantic, kissy-kissy nightmare...

"Really? That's what broke the mighty Levin? A nightmare?!" Gwen chuckled. Julie joined in with her canary-like chuckles too.

Kevin glared at her from his compromising position and hissed, "It was not just any nightmare... it was nearly... scarring."

Gwen and Julie frowned at the serious tone of his voice. Gwen sighed, as she patted his head, "You want me to erase it for you? I can do that with my manna you know, all I have to do is watch your nightmare by my - "

"NO!" Kevin sat up as straight as an arrow. The round black circles under his eyes widened as he stared owlishly at her, "No way are you probing around in my mind! I think I'll pass!"

Gwen looked at him weirdly. "Has it something to do with personal stuff?"

"Um, yeah you could say that..." he looked away. He couldn't let Gwen see into his mind and read the conflicts and the wars still going on in there. He cant let Gwen know that he had helped Ben jerk off, he can't let her know that he had fallen in love as a result, or that he had fallen for her cousin which would kindle her bitchy jealous side.

A bitchy Anodite or a lifetime being haunted by images if a sexy Ben?

He'd take the haunting any time.

His mind suddenly came back to the present as he heard happy shuffle of feet upstairs.

_Oh no..._ Kevin's head fell forehead-first on to the counter, _here he comes... _and at the word 'come' he nearly growled in the irony.

He looked up again, along with Gwen and Julie who watched a very peppy Ben appear at the top of the stairs with a wide toothy grin, he straddled the rails of the stairs and slid down it and landed perfectly on his feet on the floor.

"Tadaa!" he announced, Gwen and Julie humouring him with claps, at which he bowed, "Thank you thank you, and good morning!"

Kevin groaned, turning his face the other way when he found himself feeling weird around the groin.

"Wow, Ben, you're a perfect picture of sunshine!" Gwen laughed. Ben smiled cutely at that, and shrugged, "Yeah, thanks!"

Julie glanced at the slumped Kevin and spoke to Ben, "Anything special?"

"I just had like the BEST dream in the whole wide world, last night!" he sighed, and even without looking, Kevin could tell Ben was standing on tiptoes and pressing his locked hands to his cheeks like a pretty princess.

"Oh? And what happened in the dream?" Gwen asked as she poured tropical smoothies into four tall glasses.

Ben blushed visibly, biting his lower lip and drawing timid circles on the floor. Kevin could tell that too, without looking.

"Um..it's kinda personal?" Ben spoke shyly. Julie and Gwen looked at each other and then gave Ben a sly grin, "Ohoho! And how personal is this dream?"

"Personal enough to not tell you peeky girls about it!" Ben squeaked, waving a forefinger at them like a woman. The girls burst out laughing, and Kevin contributed with a silent curse.

Ben laughed too, and then saw the sorry sight of Kevin with his head on the counter, face hidden behind his curtains of short silky hair.

"Oh! Good morning Kevin!"

At the sound of his name, his eyes shot open in shock of being recognised, as if the F1 racer he liked on TV had just responded to him through the screen.

And in response to the morning greeting, he grumbled, "Whatever...", refusing to turn his head towards Ben. Ben gave an adorable look of pity, and spoke to the girls, "What happened?"

"Nightmares," they answered together. Gwen added, "In contrast to you barfing sunshine, he's pissed off; not having slept all night judging the circles under his eyes."

Kevin groaned. He always made it a point to look ravishingly handsome all the time. Dark circle were a no-no, but there was nothing to do about it, was there?

"Mcchaaw!" Ben cooed in pity again, and Kevin found electric sparks marathon up and down his spine.

_Why does he sound so fucking girly?!_

"How bad was the dream, Kevin?"

"NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS!" Kevin hissed as he got up, shooting a lingering glare on Ben, who looked terrified at the way the shadowed sleepless brown eyes combined with the darkened irritation, making a deadly cocktail of fatal anger. Growling under his breath, Kevin stormed off outside, slamming the door open and them shutting it with equal force. It was a surprise it didn't fall off its hinges in a swoon.

"Oh," Ben looked concerned, "Must have been a bad one?"

Gwen and Julie sighed.

o.o.o

After breakfast, (for which Kevin was coaxed into the house by the girls when they found his fallen dead asleep at the foot of a coconut tree near the beach house) the girls left for their surfing classes, leaving Ben (who was thrice the hungry he was) to gobble up his fourth helping of pancakes as fast as he could so that he could meet Kanou-a. Kevin meanwhile sat on the couch, his brown eyes staring blankly into the new edition of his favourite car magazine, for the first time unable to be hypnotised by the femininely sleek vehicles glinting temptingly at him.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Ben reach out and flick on the radio, music flowing in through its double speakers:

_"I DONT WANT IT TO END, 'cause I'm in laaawwwwve with this feeeeling and if I'm dreaming I don't wanna wake up, let's start over again! I got my hands to the ceiling, and if I'm dreaming I don't wanna wake up...-"_

Kevin's eyebrow twitched in superb annoyance, while gritting his teeth, and his face simply burnt even more when Ben joined in with the singer as he cleared up the dishes.

_- "I can feeeeel it, taking oveeeer, it feels wrong but also right, temperature rissssssing, supernohhhhhva, and the club has come alive, I DONT WANT IT TO END! - "_

Kevin threw the magazine aside, and got up angrily, immediately regretting to look at Ben who was busy gyrating to the song's electric music.

"AHEM!" Kevin cleared his throat sharply, tearing his eyes away from Ben's ass that suddenly seem to make his eyes into magnets. Ben turned to him, bestowing that stupidly cute smile again. Kevin hissed, "Would you turn that off?! It's annoying!"

_And symbolic._

"Aw!" Ben pouted, hunching his shoulders and tilting his head in cute disappointment, "But I like that song!"

"I DON'T!" Kevin growled, "Now turn it off!"

Ben pouted, Kevin looked away unable to gaze at him with that stupidly adorable face. Ever since Kevin's revelation, Ben had transformed from an annoying, naive teenager into a sexy cuteness-on-legs.

Ben reached out to the radio, saying, "Ok, I'll search for something else then..."

The music transformed with luscious guitar strums flowing in:

_" - Its a dirty jaaawwwb but somebody's gotta do it, I see you working baby put your back into it - "_

A vein throbbed in Kevin's forehead, his cheeks burning red as the lyrics flowed into his head reminding him of what 'job' he had done earlier. Ben continued to move suggestively as he washed he dishes. Kevin's fist tightened at his side.

"Urgh," hissing like a boiling teapot, (symbolic steam pouring out his ears) Kevin walked to the radio, grabbing the knob and turning it to himself find some other station that wasn't hell bent on torturing him.

_" – can you blow my whistle, baby, whistle, baby, let me know, girl I'm gonna show you how ta do it, and we'll start real slow.. -"_

Jaws clenched, as the raven violently hoped Ben hadn't noticed the seating hot blush coating his manly face. Ben liked the change in the music, so he readjusted his soft moves to the song.

Kevin growled and turned the knob thinking this was the last straw. He froze when suggestive music flowed at him in full blares, curling around in the room like thick perverted smoke, noticing Ben twirl his hips conveniently:

_"- __I'll take you to the candy shop, I'll let you lick the lollypop, Go 'head girl don't you stop, Keep going 'til you hit the spot, whoa__! __"_

SMACK!

Ben turned abruptly around, to see the radio on the floor in a pathetic heap, but thanks to its durability it had not broken, however it had turned off. Ben pouted again, to look up and see Kevin storming off the house in a huff of nasty curses.

"What's up with him?!" Ben mused.

o.o.o

"BITCH! What have you done to me?! Fix it! I SAID FIX IT!" Kevin demanded angrily, smacking his hands on the round table, the gypsy woman stared up at him from her seat, absolutely unfazed as she smiled, "Fix what?"

-~Flashback starts~ -

(situation: the morning of the day Ben had sex with Kanou-a, meaning, yesterday)

After his lifeguards-training drill, Kevin walked along the beach market with his hands in his pockets, whistling in boredom. People bustled around him in the beach in swimsuits and casual summer cloths. Stalls of food, games, souvenirs lined the side of the beach. One such tent of dark maroon-and-black chiffon caught the raven's eye.

"Have your palm read. Know your future and fortune," Kevin read out to himself from the colourful board with the words written in ink black stylishly, the board bordered with gold and silver glitter.

"Voodoo crap," he smirked. He would have walked away, but his curiosity burnt from within his chest. Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to have a look and prove to the idiots that they're being shammed.

He caught a good whiff of thyme, sage, tea leaves, and rosewater. Putting out his hand and pushing aside the flap on the door which was just two dark black cloths, he walked in. The interior was dark and the only lights were coming from the candles hung in lanterns, and those on the round table in the middle of the room; the lighting created an eerie ghostly atmosphere with the warmth of the candles soothing it.

At the round table, sat the gypsy fortune teller, whispering to two girls who squealed and giggled in hypnotised enchantment, while the woman animatedly told them the fortunes and misfortunes to bestow upon them.

After lingering at the entrance for like fifteen minutes, Kevin almost made up his mind to leave, when the girls got up and thanked the woman and handed her the fare. The girls in swimsuits had their faces flushed in excitement of their future, and they only stopped when they glanced at the tall handsome figure waiting to walk in. Kevin ignored the blushing girls as they gazed at him and then left in excited jitters. He walked towards the table.

The woman was carefully putting back the cards in a neat deck, shuffling them in her long hands. Looking up, she gave a smile, "Yes?"

"I came over to watch the crap you do."

Unblinking, she smiled in opposition to Kevin's calculation of an outraged response. "Please have a seat."

"Whatever."

He sat down on the heavily furnished chair. The round table was adorned with a shimmering red table cloth of heavy velvet. Sitting atop the table was the usual crystal ball with its milky insides whirling curiously and mysteriously.

_Pfft. Smoke effects. Like so obvious._

A pack of cards sat to the woman's left. A neatly bound book and a bottle of ink. And a few tea leaves and thyme crushed to a powder on the right.

Kevin watched the lady as she shuffled her cards wordlessly. The woman was olive tanned but her skin glowed too. Her eyes were large and half lidded in an air of mystery, thickly lined with black and made to look longer and larger, with long curling eyelashes, while her long eyebrows stayed even on her forehead. Her nose was thin and long, and under them were full bee-stung lips painted a sexy red. Her cheek bones were high upon her face; she looked hot, smart, crude and clever. Her thick pitch black hair was half piled up, and half hung behind, tied with a colourful bandana, while a few curls and strands escaped the bandana to rest beside her face. Two large circles of gold earrings with encrusted rubies dangled from her ears. She wore a lot of beaded jewellery, rows of them at her neck. She had a shawl draped over her shoulders but the flaps were pushed back so Kevin was able to see what she wore within; a white-sleeved puffed shirt full of golden embroidery, her large bosoms highly accentuated by a tight leather corset. She had her arms placed on the table, as she shuffled the cards in her long tanned fingers, each finger crowned with long manicured nails of blood red. Every time her hands moved, the many gold bangles jingled and tinkled, the gold finger rings flashing.

Altogether, Kevin internally commented that she looked like the female version of a clean and beautiful Jack Sparrow.

"And how may I help you sir?" her voice, smooth and thickly gypsy-accented, while gazing at him from under her eyelashes.

Kevin stared at her. Any other person would be mesmerised by her imposing anonymous air, but not Kevin.

"Look, lemme get this straight, woman. I don't believe in this shit," he started in a matter-of-fact. He was never much of a conversationalist. In fact, he just wanted to see this woman burst her bubble.

Thick lips slowly stretched on the either sides as she smiled slyly, "Ah, nice to know. And why has the nonbeliever such as yourself come to view the 'shit' you disbelieve?"

Kevin blinked again kind of surprised at her cool head, "Just curious."

"You do know curiosity killed the cat?"

"I'm not a cat, in case you haven't noticed,... and isn't 'curiosity' mainly the reason why you even _have _customers?"

_There, that should do it! The ultimate comment to insult a lady-pride!_

Kevin was again disappointed when she looked unfazed and pleasant. "Ah yes, it is. And also, some people actually _do_ believe this '_crap_', thank you," she smiled, putting aside her cards coolly, and lacing her hands at the table, pinning him with a strong gaze of pearl grey eyes. "So what would you like to do first, handsome?"

"You sound like a prostitute," he hissed, thinking that should do the trick.

She surprised him with a seductive grin, her eyes narrowing suggestively, while twirling a lock of black hair in a finger, "Are you always so accurate_, sir_?" she spoke in a silky voice at which Kevin raised an eyebrow in alert.

This woman looked twice as old as him, despite her young seductress appearance and air. Even then, he wouldn't actually mind kissing those Angelina Jolie lips, nor would he mind embracing that alluring scent stuffing up his nose, nor would he mind running his tongue on the olive smooth skin...

She picked up a long card that looked like a menu card and showed it to him, "Please choose an item," and when he started from his thoughts, she added slyly, "They're not sex toys, sorry to disappoint."

_Urgh, this place is messing up my mind!_

Giving her one of his famous smouldering glares, he picked the cards from her red-clawed hands and ran his brown eyes through it, finding it hard to concentrate with her powerful gaze burning him like a paper under magnifying glass concentrating the sun's beam.

"Crystal Ball... blah blah, tea leaves reading... blah blah... cards ... blah blah... ink blotches ..blah blah... _hand reading_?!" Kevin raised an eyebrow, to look at her. "You mean you can tell my fortune _just_ by reading my palm?"

"Yes, I can."

"That's bogus!"

"It's bogus that its bogus."

"Our fate is not written in a hand! That's just a stupid saying! There's no science in it! The crinkles on my hand are a result of my DNA signature! Not some magical destiny scripture!"

"Tell me sir, what part of a person do we say is affected when he falls in love?"

"Uh..." he thought and then answered, "The dude's heart?"

"Does it mean that the emotion of love is born from your blood-pumping heart equipped with arteries and ventricles? Hmm? You know very well that there's no _science_ in it, yeah? Yet we believe it?"

_Shit, this woman. Hmmph._

Kevin glowered at her, as she continued to triumphantly gaze at him through spider-leg eyelashes.

"Fine, read 'em!"

Kevin placed the card on the table and put out both his hands as if to be handcuffed. She smiled again, slowly putting out her hands and clutching only his manly right hand in her long feminine ones. He withdrew his left one to his lap.

She pulled his palm closer to her, and gazed down at the fair skin. She turned the palm in particular angles as if trying to read something written on it. Kevin nearly squirmed trying to not giggle as her nails tickled him senseless.

_She's doing it on purpose. The bitch!_

"Say,... if you're so good at this, then first, before you tell me my 'fortune', take a guess what my profession is, by 'reading' my palm?" Kevin challenged.

The woman looked up blatantly, as if interrupted from a very important task. She seemed unaffected by the Levin Trademark Smirk, and even had the audacity to roll her grey eyes, as if succumbing to the petty demand of a toddler. Kevin nearly pouted, but thank gods he didn't.

"Alright then," she looked down at the palm, feeling along the lines and creases of his strong cleft hand. She ran her cool fingers along the side and at his wrists, over his bulging knuckles, the short but neat nails, and whispering as she spoke, "Hmm... moulded hands as if you use tools... short nails so what work you do is quite dirtying... healed burns, so you work with something hot... thin fine wounds, so you work with something that requires definite small parts and ginger handling... yet your skin is smooth, so you handle polished objects and do constant washing.. I think I can tell your profession by the physical appearance alone, so I don't necessarily need to summon the spirits to say that you are..."

Kevin frowned as her words got accurate.

"...A mechanic," she smiled in conclusion. He narrowed his eyes as if she could be wrong, so she added ,"Either that, or a crime fighting hero."

Kevin jumped in surprise, but he calmed when he realised she was joking.

"Am I right? Of course I am." She pushed out her lower lip slightly, as if victoriously sneering at him.

"Meh. Your Luck," he grumbled.

She went back to reading his palm, whispering what seemed like incantations and phrases of Latin. Her glowing silvery eyes catching the glints of the candles on the table.

Kevin glanced at his hilariously distorted reflection on the rotund surface of the Crystal Ball, and grimaced at it to make it worse. He played watching his reflection, but suddenly saw a pair of acidic green eyes in the Ball and froze in reflexive terror, his heart jumping to his throat and vibrating in adrenaline. The eyes then disappeared.

_Creepy! I'm imagining things... Must be the smell in the air. All technical tricks of the trade._

He turned back to the lady when his heart resumed its clam pace again. She continued to peer pointedly at his palm, lips moving, eyes narrowing, at times closing, at times opening.

_Urgh. I should have just gone to Paradox to know my future! Or Gwen! She could have just told me my fortune! I'm sure she could also have told me when the new WWE match starts! _

"Oh," the lady drew back a little, a gentle frown creasing her forehead while her eyes studied the palm from far.

"What? Does it say I die by a meteor or something? Or maybe I'm gotta win a jackpot? Oh, maybe I'm gonna find me a twin? Or maybe - "

"_Would you mind?!"_ she snapped crossly, still gazing at his palm, "I'm not done yet."

Kevin snorted, watching her increased interest in his palm. Although she had been level headed even when he threw insults at her, she seemed to have lost her cool when studying his palm. Either because she was involved deep in her work, or because she was 'seeing' something interesting on his skin.

After what was like ten minutes of silence with his hand being heavily inspected to a point he guessed she might know how many lines there were on the tough skin; she drew back, solemnly placing his hand, palm up, on the velvet of the table cloth, and then placing her hands palms down on top of it.

She smiled, closing her eyes, her smile decreasing till it was just a bunch of bee stung flesh.

"So? What's it say?" he raised an eyebrow, internally cursing himself for sounding curiously interested.

She opened her eyes, the grey shining like silver, "You have a very interesting life, sir."

"You don't know the half of it", he rolled his eyes, "What else?"

"You will soon fall in love with someone extremely unexpected, and this love will create as lot of disappointments for you, Sir."

Kevin looked at her owlishly long and calm. He then gave a sudden snort of laughter, "Ha! Like yeah RIGHT! Tell me something useful, woman!"

"Ahem," she coughed indignanlty, "I see a lot of conflict for you; this person you fall in love with is chanced of not returning your love," she then frowned, closing her eyes and feeling his hand under her's on the table, "Yet, I see some happiness, I see a new start blooming, I also see... a love triangle."

Kevin froze and then laughed more. "HAHAH! Like HAHAHAH! As if! I broke up with Gwen already! I don't really care if she fucks anyone! Love triangle?! Geez!"

"Stop it, this instant!," she hissed sharply after opening her eyes, making him freeze, "This is not something to be shunned, young man, this is important. You're life will change with this. If you do not pay attention to this and find a proper solution, your emotional stability will be steered downwards and it will destroy your will, your courage and your want to live!"

Kevin was SO not buying this.

Slyly, he joked, "And _you're_ life will change 'cause you will have an extra what...," he peered into the menu card, "...like twenty bucks to your wallet after telling me this fake stuff to get me all worked up. Eh?"

The woman glared at him calmly, "I have no benefit from telling you your future, except for, yes, the twenty bucks. I could just simply tell you all's well, and watch you leave even though I have read in your hand that you will soon spiral into despair and heartbreak, and it doesn't even have anything to do with me or my life. But I am forced to want to help you; I have never seen a hand like yours-"

"I know, I'm awesome and hot. As hot as an iron cast, yeah," he grinned in self-pride. The serious advice from her side was simply falling off him like water on a duck's back.

She gave him a glare and emphasised, "_What I meant is_," and continued, "Your destiny... It's quite fascinating, the amount of sexual tension and emotional strain thickly enveloped in your fate at this age."

"Sexual tension?! You saying I have erectile dysfunction?! Last time I checked, I am pretty good in bed," Kevin spoke solemnly.

She rolled her eyes, and looked at him as if he was the dumbest thing on earth she ever had the misfortune to meet, "No, _Kevin_, I mean to say the one you fall in love will be involved in varying degrees of sexual intimacy with you. I also see a little of misunderstanding and confusion, yet a twinge of a,... lets say, happy ending? But to reach that I see it depends on you."

"Eh?... Wait a sec, how'd you know my name?! I didn't tell you that!"

She rolled her eyes again, fighting the want to sigh in exasperation. "Name tag."

He looked down and saw his life-guard training badge pinned to his shirt. "Fuck!"

"You're quite welcome," she spoke bluntly, and continued, "So, to the matter, I see your fortune rests on the head of a pin. The way you react, the way you take decisions will affect your fortune, to either tip off the pinhead, or stay on it smartly. That is, your hand showed signs that in the indefinite period of time during your despair, you may succumb to suicide, but to do or not to do that is up to you. Your call."

Kevin looked at her oddly, sarcastically hissing, "Sorry, I don't speak 'witchean'."

She blankly stared at him. "What I meant is... 'watch out, act right, keep your head up, don't let heartbreak lead you to suicide'. Have you got it now? Or should I speak in another language? 'Idiocian' perhaps?"

Kevin flared his nostrils at her, "You should be glad that you're a woman and that I don't hit women."

"Oh I'm shaking in my leather boots and lace panties", she smiled again, that same seductive lilt in her voice.

Kevin was the one to roll his eyes, and he stood up, pulling out his wallet, speaking in forced politeness with thickly laced sarcasm, "Thank you. I'm sure I have never been more delighted with the great wisdom of 'watch out'. That session was very informative," and mumbled to himself, "And the most wasted fifteen doggone minutes of my life!"

"Sorry, did you say something?" she asked with a smirk, obviously either having heard him or having guessed it right.

Smacking a twenty dollar bill onto the table top, Kevin leant over to speak in a seductive lilt of his own, "Why don't you set out your voodoo cards and figure out for yourself, huh?"

She stared at him, and then both were smirking evilly in unison, dark eyes narrowed over silvery ones; a terrifying sight for a third person.

He walked away, shrugging, "Bitchy witchies."

"Idiotic nonbelievers."

As she watched him go, her smirking face slowly fell into serious concern.

_You will be coming back soon, Mister Kevin. You refuse to pay heed to my help, but when you meet with your despair, you will come to me, I'm sure of it._

~flashback ends~

"Ah, yes, Kevin Sir," she smiled, brushing a lock of black behind her ear, "I remember you, the lovely-tongued nonbeliever," she shot him a sly gaze, pinching the cigarette off from her full lips, and blew a this trail of swirling smoke that looked vaguely like a dragon's head, "Fiery today, are we?"

"Shut the fuck up!" he snapped, sitting down uninvited on the furnished chair. He frowned like a thundercloud, and she had to admit that it only elevated his handsome aura of bad-assery.

She solemnly stabbed the glowing end of her cigarette onto the ashtray, and left the stub on it, turning her attention to him, but before she could say a word, he snapped out, "What have you done to me?! You did some black magic shit on me, didn't you?! Whatever it is, MAKE IT BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS!"

She sighed helplessly, speaking in calm thick tones that clashed with his angry panting, "Calm down, Kevin."

"CALM DOWN?! DONT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! FIX IT! FIX IT!"

"You keep saying 'fix it fix it', but what am I to fix you say?!" she asked, although her eyes seemed to be laughing at him.

"Your reading! It..." he growled, wincing at the pain it created on his pride to be admitting it, "...came true."

"Hmm? Sorry, I didn't hear you?" she smirked, tilting her head, as if to show him her new set of curling earrings.

"YOUR FORTUNE TELLING CAME FUCKING TRUE, WOMAN!" he roared, not caring that people outside would hear.

Even then, the lady ahead of him was not flinching in the rise of sound waves. He could swear he saw a few strands of her hair move from the power of his voice, yet she seemed deaf and unaffected.

"So, you have fallen in love with someone unexpected, have you? So soon...?"

"Yeah, with my best friend of all goddamn people! And I want you to stop it! Its freaking messing with me!" he growled, resisting the urge to punch down the table to smithereens.

"Kevin," she spoke softly in her smooth viscous voice, "I cannot fix anything."

"WHAT?! YOU PUT SOME SHITTY INCANTATION ON ME AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU CANT FIX IT?!"

"I thought you didn't believe in magic?" she raised an eyebrow at him, "And please stop screaming unless you want the whole beach to know about your personal problems."

He opened his mouth to shout further, but seeing that she painfully made sense, he grit his teeth together and clenched his fists, pressing them to each knee.

"I don't believe in magic, but there are forces, which you don't know of, that can do real voodoo stuff," he hissed, looking at her as if to add with his eyes 'don't ask me what, 'cause you wont believe me and I have no interest to explain it to you.'

"Well, then, I assure you; I did no 'voodoo stuff' on you."

"Then do something NOW! Change my hand-script or something! Anything!" now he sounded more exasperated and desperate, than angry.

"Kevin," she leaned in, capturing his eyes with a thick gaze of her silvery pair, "I can only tell you what I see. Take it this way; your fate is a book that you wrote but in a language unknown to you. I am a reader who can translate the language and read to you what is in it. Like a grandma reads to her little grandchildren. But I am only the reader, I can't change what's written in the book, I can only read out to you. I can offer solutions, but I can't fix anything in the book. But the fate depends on you, the writer, for the way you handle your decisions can make very minute changes in your 'book'. I can only help give you the right way to solve anything, I can't actually _do_ it for you. Get it?"

Kevin gazed at her, his face clearly showing signs of understanding. For the first time, this fucked-up stuff makes sense to him. Gwen couldn't have explained any better (and yes she had tried).

But now he realised it was all meant to be.

He blinked at her, the vein in his forehead throbbing, "So I'm doomed?! Fucking doomed?!"

She gave him a pitying smile, "Not really..."

"Here!" he put out his right hand, palm up, on the table, "Read it again, and tell me what you see. And find out some solution for me. I'll pay you double, I swear! But you HAVE to help me get rid of these.. these... stupid feelings I have!"

She looked deeply at him, almost in a hypnotising gaze, Kevin felt his defences crumbling. She kept her gaze on him, as her hand stretched sideways as if on its own command, and dwelled into the pocket of her cloth bag. She pulled put her hand which was now in a fist, and brought it to his opened palm on the table.

"Kevin," her eyes still on his, while she placed her fist on his palm and placed whatever was in her hand into his, her voice a silky but soothing whisper, "You fate is in your own hands. But I will help you. And this will help too," and not giving him the chance to see what she had put in his hand, she wrapped his fingers into a fist as well.

Kevin gulped down at it, nearly shaking in the aura of mystery and magic.

She let go of his hand, so he drew it closer, slowly opening his fist to see... a small white pellet on his palm.

"What is it?" not realising his voice had dropped to an enchanted whisper.

She sat back, sighing as she answered bluntly, "Aspirin. You look like you'd need it. I don't want you screaming down my ears while I give you advice, kid. Geez, teenagers", she shook her head.

The bubble of rapture popped stupidly, as Kevin stared at her with narrowed eyes and pursed lips, while his eyelid twitched in annoyance.

But he saw she was serious, for she suddenly presented a tall glass of clear, deliciously sparkling water to down the pill.

"I guess you '_read my forehead' _ that I have a headache?" he groaned, popping the pill down his throat and washing it for all into his tummy.

The woman chuckled at his sad humour, "The quality of your jokes is directly proportional to your mood, eh?"

"Fancy way of saying 'lame joke'."

After a moment, putting away the glass, she sighed, "Ok, lets get on with your hand, now, shall we?"

Kevin slumped.

She did the same as last time. Peering into his hand, tickling him irritatingly in the process, and then finally placing his hand on the table to envelope her's over it and then meditate in silence.

"Ah, so let me say the same as before: you will (sorry, _have_) fallen in love with someone completely unexpected, and it has created disappointments for you."

"Scratch that, it's made life a 'nightmare' for me!" he groaned. She glared at him through one open eye at which he remained mute before commenting more.

She went back to meditating.

"Hmm... I can't read you rather well; its almost as if some unknown forces are hindering me from reading you clearly," she frowned with her eyes closed, "but I see that there's an indefinite period of time in your life, coming soon, where you are heartbroken about your love not being returned to you."

"How indefinite?"

"Well, maybe days, maybe months, maybe years... maybe minutes? Dunno..., but you will be grievened to a point you would want to kill yourself to end suffering!"

"_Ofcourse_ I would wanna kill myself! I am in love with my _best friend_ for gods sake! Its _revolting!"_

"Not that kind of suicide, ninny!" she snapped, "I meant, you would want to die because she will not return your love at all. Hmm... rather sad. Besides, it cant be _that_ bad when you fall in love with your bestie, should it?"

"It can, if HES A GUY!" he growled low and angry.

Her eyes shot open, the glint of supreme excitement shining in her eyes. "Sorry?"

"I'm ... I'm in love with like the cutest guy on earth..." he grumbled, and when he realised what he had just described Ben as, and accurately too, his face burnt as if he had used some sort of chilli-flavoured face-wash.

"Oh my..." she actually blushed, "That's so cute!" she pouted in awe, as her mind waved away like a schoolgirl.

"ITS NOT!" he growled, snapping her back to serious reality, at which she cleared her throat and apologized, "Um, sorry, ah yes, back to what we were saying..."

"This is why I want it to stop!" he spoke, his voice grazed and husky, "I'm not gay! I just can't be! I never had the hots for even the coolest guys out there! If I did, then I would have fallen in love with myself! But I am not gay! But, but now I just can't stand the sight of Ben _smiling _without it making my cock vibrate! And he's been my best friend and former enemy! This is insane! _I'M_ going insane! I just can't be loving him! But now I _am_, and I don't _wanna_!"

Seeing the desperate confusion boiling in the tawny eyes, she nodded calmly, "_Ben_, you say? And oh, he's been your former enemy. Hmm... that could have triggered some feelings. I read in your hand that you have some hidden issues to deal with, ones with love, but I hadn't seen it before until now. Maybe you have been in love with this guy all this while, but you hetero side has completely masked it under friendship and hatred..."

Kevin looked long and hard at her, "But I -"

"You may not know it, but you may have been in love for a long time. If you go back into your memories and analyse some of your decisions, maybe you will find hidden clues that show you have liked him?"

_The Omnitrix...being a good guy after the NullVoid escape... the re-entry into the Team... why had he been dating Gwen when he had never even liked her... why his greatest mutant powers always came from Ben...and worst of all, why his car was green and black..._

Seeing that his face sported signs of understanding and revelation again, she smiled, "Has anything special happened lately that could have somehow caused your hidden feelings to awaken?"

Kevin broke his blank gaze from his thoughts and then looked at her. He looked away nearly pouting as he mumbled, "Yeah, um, I _may_ have given him a handjob last night..."

"Sorry?" she hadn't heard him because he was muttering.

"I helped him jerk off last night!" he snapped, louder this time.

The lady sat back, looking absolutely stumped. "What?!" then her eyes shone again in guilty pleasure, a wave of red swept across her cheek, as she cooed, "Really?! And was there _more_?"

"Yeah, um... and we kissed," he looked away, biting his lower lip, "The best kiss of my life, if I should add; ... and also, he said he loved me."

"WOW! Then that's _great!_" she clapped her hands once, in victory, "He loves you, you love him and all's well!"

"NO, ITS NOT!" he snapped in counter-comment, "He was dead asleep and dreaming!"

"What?" she looked confused, hands lowering from mid-clap.

"Urgh," he ran his free hand though his hair as he groaned, "Last night, he had a wet dream, possibly about this girl he told me he was seeing; and then he was really, really hard and still not helping himself. So I just, I tried to ease him for no reason, and then he just responded! I mean, he was all panting and moaning, he called out my name though it sounded distorted, and then he kissed me, it was all tongue, and hot and wet, and then he was literally fucking my hand and ... uh you're bleeding by the nose, ma'am?"

She quickly put her hand over her nostril and blushed, "Oh, its ok, its ok! Go on! Please do!"

He rolled his eyes and continued, "And then out of nowhere, when I thought it couldn't get any worse, exactly after he orgasmed, he said he loved me! Its insane, 'cause he was asleep! Ben rarely ever makes sense when he's _awake_, let alone when he's _asleep_! And by the manner he's been behaving, I think is either really in love with me, or he's gay for someone else and mistook me for them in his sleep!"

Kevin looked dull as he spoke the last few words. He sighed at his right hand, as the lady dabbed at her nose with a tissue paper.

"I see you want him to like you back?"

"NO!" he snapped again the one word he had said the most, "I'm not gay and I don't love Ben!"

She gave him a smart pointed look, and he suddenly remembered what she had said about his hetero side refusing to accept his revelation.

"Urgh," he groaned, dropping his head on the table, mumbling, "Ok, maybe I _do _kinda wish he's in ..." then lifted his head, "But it can't be me! I ... I never treated him right! I always made fun of him, I always teased him, we always fight over stupid things, we always bicker over -"

"It sounds like the two of you are married couple," she snickered, making him glower dangerously, "Watch it lady, if you provoke me more, I will seriously punch you, lady or not!"

"Now, now," she grinned, "That's not the way to talk to someone trying to help you, is it?"

"Then go back to telling me about my fucking palm, woman!" he ordered, as she shook her head and actually obeyed.

"So, as I had been saying before I was interrupted with rather juicy information... ah, yes; so in an indefinite period of time, you will be forced to nearly kill yourself in the pain of heart-brake. And this is your most vulnerable time; it is the pinhead you rest on; if you lose your humanity and finally decide to succumb to your depression, you will lose your life. But if you brave yourself and face the storm, then you will pass that small amount of time."

"Whats the point of crossing that period of time, if I cant have Ben?"

"Well, because I see a good end to this, Kevin; I see a happy ending; for I see smile, waves of happiness,... all _after_ your depressing time. You must hold on till then, and not let yourself be swept off in wild thoughts. And in your hand, I already have seen lots of depression in your past and an ill childhood that contributes to your brutish, sociopath nature. Which also, I must add, has decreased into normalcy after the arrival of this bright green energy, which I assume is this Ben?"

Kevin started, and glared at her, but realising she was right, his gaze withered under her silvery eyes.

"Yeah; he is (now that I think about it) the only good thing that happened to me in my life... yet."

"Hmm... so, why don't confess to him?"

"WUUUHHAAAT?!" he yelled in shock.

The mere thought of it; to fall in submission to that stupid Tennyson, to fall at his feet and beg for his love?! To bow and whisper, _"I am forever more in love with you, my beautiful sexy Ben!"..._

"NO WAY!" he protested vehemently, his pride making his eyes wild even thinking about it.

"Why not?" she put forward, simply kindling the shock inside of him.

"What do you mean 'why not'?!" he demanded angrily, "Lemme list it for ya! ONE: he's been my enemy _and_ best friend! TWO: if he is acting all this out in the form of some fucking prank and I fall for it, I will be teased for the rest of my doggone life! THREE: I'm NOT telling that bastard that I love him; his ego is already bigger than Megamind's head! FOUR: I have a bad-boy image to keep, and I'm not some cheesy Romeo! FIVE: You're going to tell me how to fix this, so I don't need to fess up!"

"Hmm, I'm going to have to disagree with the last one..." she tapped a red-nailed forefinger to her chin thoughtfully.

Kevin's jaw fell. He stared and stared, till he frowned madly, "You BITCH! You said you'd HELP!"

If she were a man, and had a collar, he would definitely be hoisting her up by grabbing it.

"If you don't shut up, and stop screaming, it'll be a sleeping pill I give you next! _Forcefully_, I might add!" she hissed crossly, her ears ringing with his voice.

There was something about that low voice that made Kevin shut up immediately. He looked away, hating her like hell, and at the same time feeling lost without her help.

"Look, just tell me what I have to do!" he moaned; this time, being calmer and at least the clenched fist under the table, on his knee, helped.

"Kevin, the best way is to face your problems. You have to tell this Ben character that you are head over heels in love with him- "

"- I could just say that he made me gay, right?" he looked uncomfortable saying cheesy stuff to Cheesy Ben. After all, it scarred his bad-boy image.

"Yes, you could say that too," rolling her eyes form being constantly interrupted, "And if he accepts you, you will be free of the time period of depression; but if he doesn't, (as is more likely) you should be prepared for it. It's unfortunate I dunno how much this time period is, or I could help you more, but until it's over, you will have to bear it. Heart breaks are not easy to handle, trust me, it'll paralyse you, and make you think how stupid you had been, it makes you think the world has ended," she looked away, pushing out her lower lip in thought, before coming back to topic, "So, if there is even a teeny-weeny bit of urge for you to slit wrists or drive off a cliff or something; come to me, ok?"

Kevin nodded, his heart drumming in some weird mix of fear, guilt, pain and anger. "Do I have to do it today?"

"What, driving off a cliff?"

"No," he looked at her bluntly, "The fessing up?"

"Nope, only when you are ready. I can't tell you when or how, because it depends on YOU; but I _can _tell you that the sooner the better; so that you'll have less things to be worried about, know what I'm saying? Like now, you have to worry about whether he loves you or not, and how to deal if he doesn't. But after you confess, its one problem down, yeah?"

"Yeah, " he nodded absentmindedly, taking in her words, and letting it seep into his wild mind to calm it.

She let him remain still for a few minutes, to settle his thoughts and place his goal. As he sat frozen in his seat, deep in thought, she smiled as she gazed at him, her elbow on the table, and her face on her palm, watching him as if he were some painting in an exhibition.

He looked up, bestowing her with a suspicious look, giving that famous question that all people like him (who don't want help but have to take it ) would ask:

"Why are you even helping me?"

She gave him a sly smile of seductive red lips, cheerfully answering, "You radiate with an aura of specialty, Kevin. Your fate and your destiny is increasingly interesting for the likes of me; and I would love to study you more; but I have customers, and you have your two problems to take care of, right?"

"Hmmph, " he grumbled, getting up, feeling hot around the neck as he hissed through his teeth, drumming his fingers on the edge of the table, "Uh... hey, um,... theynks."

"Hmm? I didn't quite catch that now?"she teased, tilting her head to listen properly.

For the first time, that day, he smiled, almost before he could stop it.

"Bitchy witchies," He pulled out forty dollars in bills of ten, from his wallet.

"Idiotic non-believers," she hummed with a smile, accepting the fare when he handed it out to her, "And good luck!"

- End of Chapter -

* * *

**_Teehee! i dunno wht to name the lady but i have Rhonda in mind. hmm! and i hope this chapter solves any sort of confusion on you reader's part:_**

**_ kevin did NOT molest ben purposely; ben had sucked him in, if u knw wht i mean! :D_**

**_and ben! you bad, bad boy! you messed up my kevvy's mind!_**

**_i just love it whn brutes warm up to ladies who are smarter thn them (srry didnt meant to insult, kev)!_**

**_review plssss!_**


	10. To mate or not to mate

_**Thnk you so much, Kanou-aXben! :D um, I cant really comment on Kanou-a and Ben separating I just can tell you to continue reading! And hahaha I am sooooo happy coz you guys love my OC so much!**_

_**New chappie! :D omg, ITS chapter TEN! **_

_**But I feel a writers block jamming my senses (alert alert!) so im going to try my best, and pls forgive me if this chapter doesn't match up to the previous ones yeah?**_

_**Warning: yaoi, boyslove, sex, and angst.**_

_**Disclaimer : I do not own Ben ten alien force! **_

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**Chapter ten : To mate or not to mate**

(situation: That same day, after the breakfast )

Ben was running down the beach happily, greatly speeding when he saw the merman's raven head resting on his pale folded hands on the rock, while the rest of him was obviously under the water.

"Kanou-aaaaaaa!" Ben squealed, alerting the merman to look up at the source of the squeal. Both their faces glowed at the sight of each other.

Kanou-a opened his mouth to greet his beloved, but his mouth remained open with no voice, because Ben was still speeding towards him uncontrollably.

Ben was unable to stop himself to a halt and Kanou-a watched him run towards the edge of the rock, his hands spinning in the air for balance.

"Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh!" he howled, as he teetered at the edge, shadowing Kanou-a who reached out to catch him, but then Ben ended up landing on him and toppling the two into the water by the force of his fall.

"Oof!" they groaned in sync.

The two were suspended under the water, before Kanou-a's tail made a single flick, to zoom them both up to the surface.

Spouting out the water, Ben gave out a hearty laugh. Kanou-a joined him. They held each other in the embrace Kanou-a had used to catch Ben as he fell.

"You quite know how to make an entrance, Kirby!" blue eyes sparkled. Ben grinned back, running up his fingers to smoothen the soft locks against his head, "Yeah, I'm awesome, I know!"

They looked at each other's dripping wet faces, before Kanou-a dipped his head to whisper, "I missed you, even for the short amount of time we were away..." and Ben answered by cupping the pale face and kissing him sweetly, caressing the pale skin.

When he had pulled back, Kanou-a looked satisfied, but Ben hadn't noticed the troubled look of his eyes.

"Hey, guess what? I just had the _coolest_ dream last night!" Ben spoke in excitement, blushing greatly, clasping his hands together at his chin. Kanou-a gazed at him lovingly, as he held Ben by the waist with both hands, "Hmm, did you, now? And what was it about?"

"You, actually," Ben blushed more, brushing away a few drops of water slipping down his temple from his brown hair.

"Ah, why aren't I surprised?" Kanou-a grinned, before nuzzling his face into the crook of Ben's neck where his left shoulder met it, "I dreamt of you too, Kirby."

"I bet you didn't dream of me jerking you off, eh?" Ben smiled, at which, the raven lifted up his head and blinked at Ben, "Um, sorry, I... don't understand?"

Ben beamed proudly, "I dreamt of you last night, touching me down there," he pointed to his crotch, making Kanou-a blush. "And it was so awesome! I really came with a bang! Like our first time!"

"Ah, of course," Kanou-a sighed with a smile, "You were aroused in your sleep, weren't you? It is because of my semen; it is so strong that it works as an aphrodisiac to humans. Since I had ejaculated within you that afternoon, its effects stayed with you all day till night."

"Oh?" Ben looked away into the sky in awe, and then smiled as he relished his 'dream', "But it was so realistic, almost as if you were actually there, pumping so really well! And then we were kissing and the weird part was that... you tasted of pineapple yogurt."

When Kanou-a looked at him with no signs of comprehension, Ben added, "Pineapple is a fruit we humans love, its yellow, huge and really sweet. And yogurt is a product we make from milk."

"Milk? Of humans?!" Kanou-a recoiled in shock.

"What?! No! Of cows!", Ben recoiled back, feeling disgusted.

"Cows?" Kanou-a titled his head, so Ben said, "A land animal with a huge udder."

"Oh," the merman nodded.

"Oh and yeah, in my dream, you also called me 'Ben', and that was so wrong! But usually everybody calls me that, so I guess in my dream it musta caught up with you too!"

"Hmm," Kanou-a smiled.

"And I kinda feel there were some other weird parts, like I think your hair wasn't so wet... hmm and... uh, Kanou-a, you ok?"

Ben stared at the merman who had lapsed into a thoughtful look of dull regret while his fingers absentmindedly stroked Ben's hips. Kanou-a immediately snapped out into reality, and blinked at Ben, "Yes, love?"

"What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing, nothing at all," Kanou-a smiled, drawing the brunette closer and cuddling him as if the brunette would vanish after a few minutes.

"No, something's bothering you!" Ben groaned, pulling away his head from the pale shoulder, and looking up at the face that tried to hide its concerns. Green eyes flashed in fierce determination, "You tell me now, Kanou-a! What's wrong? You can tell me anything!"

Kanou-a gave out a soft sigh. He then jerked his head towards the rock, saying, "Come, I have a few things to talk to you about."

The merman caught Ben by the waist and hoisted him up to the rock. Once he was seated, Kanou-a climbed up too, with Ben's help.

Side by side they sat, looking out to the horizon, Ben's face wrought on the handsome one of the raven, waiting for the later to speak. Kanou-a calmly took a few breaths, running his fingers through the wet black hair away from his face.

"Kirby, I met my brothers on my way home after our sexual intimacy."

Ben smiled happily, "Oh? They were glad to see you matured, yeah?"

"Yes, very," he sighed, and added, while he watched the sky that was only half as pretty as his eyes, "And they know how."

Kanou-a turned to look at Ben calmly. Ben took a moment to understand what that meant, and his face transitioned from tanned happy to freaked-out-frozen pale.

"Huh?!" he gasped, green eyes wide, "You told them?!"

"No, _they_ told _me_; they said they already knew about me meeting a human; they had caught me showing you about the ocean a few days ago, but had spoken to no one else about it."

Ben's heart wrung in fear and concern, he moved closer to the merman, clutching the cold right arm with his warm hands, while his eyes desperately watched Kanou-a, "And... and what did they say? Did they banish you or... or ...disown you... or castrate you or something?"

Ben's eyes glanced down at Kanou-a's waist. Surely, he couldn't tell whether Kanou-a had a penis or not. It was maddening.

"No, Kirby", smiling at Ben's concern, removing his powerful hand out of Ben's grip and then curling it around the petite shoulder of the puppy-eyed teenager, "My brothers are not so cold-hearted."

Ben hugged him back, feeling dread do slow knots in his stomach, "Then why do I feel there's bad news coming?"

"Hmm, well, because there is, I'm afraid, bad news."

Ben tensed from within the embrace, and Kanou-a stroked the soft brown hair, "My brothers are not happy about me maturing by a human. Yet, they have accepted it, and wish to not judge me by it. However, as per the age old tradition of my kind, I must find a mate who can produce my offsprings, Kirby."

Ben tried to sit up, and Kanou-a let him. Ben gazed at the blue with his green, mumbling, "You mean, you have to find a mermaid to have sex with and give you babies?"

Kanou-a sighed at how good Ben was in simplifying things.

"Yes, or a merman, for there are a few androgynous male in our kind; and sometimes they are more efficient in reproduction."

"Oh," he frowned at the thought of someone else enjoying the caresses and kisses of his beloved merman. Ben looked pensive as he asked, "Is it 'cause I'm a guy and I can't carry?"

"Yes, I suppose so," Kanou-a mumbled, eyes on the horizon.

"So if I were a girl..." Ben mused, at which Kanou-a whipped his head towards him, "Kirby, I hope you are not thinking of asking Cousin Gwen to transform yourself into a girl, now are you?!"

Ben's mouth fell open, "How'd you know that I was thinking that?"

Kanou-a looked wildly pissed as he shifted sideways to face Ben and then gripped Ben's shoulders, staring deeply into Ben's eyes, nearly scaring the poor brunette, "KIRBY! I have no idea how, but I did! And I feel pathetic you would even think of changing genders! I love you for who you are! I will not bear it if you change even a smidge! Especially for reasons like these! Don't ever think that I would accept modifying yourself in any way!"

Ben looked at the passion swirling in the eyes and he pouted, feeling guilty and maybe even a little hurt.

Kanou-a's hardened look melted and he released his hold on Ben. "Forgive me, Kirby," he spoke, his voice softer, as were now his eyes, his hands slipping from the shoulders to rest on the tanned elbows. "I shouldn't have lashed at you; but ever since my brothers spoke to me about this, I have been rather dishevelled and, as you say, jumpy. Besides, turning yourself into a girl will not help; my family needs pure mer-offsprings; the two of us could only create inter-breeds of dangerous existence."

The brunette rubbed at his shoulders where Kanou-a's long feminine nails had dug a little, and whispered, "S'ok, I get it..."

Kanou-a cast him a sorry look, drawing the smaller form towards himself, one hand holding him around the back, other caressing the cherubic face, the merman's voice a loving whisper, "I love you, Kirby; to a point it almost _hurts_ to even think I would have to touch another person; even if it were for the rules that binds my kingdom. My brothers said they will find me a possible and compatible mate tonight, and I shall have to comply. They also told me that I can go on loving you, but only as long as I keep you away from my people, and I stay away from your's. But I... I don't want to mate, Kirby," his voice stared to break and deepen in grief, "I don't want to touch anyone the way I touch you. It rather makes me nauseous to think that despite you loving me, I am betraying that trust and hurting the sanctity of our pure relationship, by mating another."

"Do it, Kanou-a."

Kanou-a froze, sitting up to look at the brunette who had spoken.

He was nearly tipped over in awe, by the intensity of seriousness on the cherubic face that gazed out to the horizon. Slowly, Ben turned to Kanou-a, all the happy-go-lucky attitude had dissolved to a look of firm wisdom flashing in the dark green irises, "You should do it, Kanou-a. You must mate, for your family to continue."

Kanou-a visibly gaped, dumbstruck.

"But, but... I..., aren't you hurt by the fact that I would have to..."

"Yes, I am," Ben nodded calmly, "I don't really like it. But you can't shun your family for me, can you?"

Kanou-a looked lost into Ben's gaze of great understanding.

"Think about your family; your brothers who have loved you all your life and taught you how to grow up; your dad who controls the worlds and hopes that one day you too will have a family and a kingdom of your own to control and rule; you mom who wants teeny weeny grandchildren to love;... you can't give up your responsibility towards all the people who have loved you all your life, just for me, a person you met only a few days ago."

"Kirby..."

"Kanou-a, sometimes responsibility comes before love. And you have to swallow some feelings for some others. It's something I have learnt as a hero; so many things I have to give up as I save the world. You are a prince before you are my lover, yeah? So, you should not break the mer-tradition for a human's sake; I don't want to be the reason why you couldn't succeed in your life. So I want you to go out there tonight and mate."

"But Kirby, I... I love _you_ and -"

"And I love _you_ too; so that's why I will understand that even though you are having mating-sex with someone else, it's not the same as making love to me, right?"

Green eyes shone with such wisdom that Kanou-a nearly teared up. He nodded at Ben's words, "I, yes, alright; since you have given me the permission." Smiling slowly, he reached out and held both Ben's hands, "Kirby, you never fail to capture my heart each time! You speak like a true hero."

Ben suddenly blushed, "Hehe, I dunno I do tend to do that sometimes; Gwen says its nearly creepy..."

A sigh fell in relief from the merman. Till now he had been tensing and stressing, greatly fearing that hearing the news of mating, Ben would go screeching like a banshee, or crying like a betrayed lover, but he was so happy to know that Kirby was not an immature child, but actually an innocent boy with a heart of fun and actual wisdom.

Kanou-a chuckled again in relief. He looked long at Ben who now smiled at him. And then Kanou-a spoke, "Come, we can wander the ocean again, and you can tell me all about you dream in detail!"

"Oh goody!" Ben beamed.

o.o.o

(evening)

Ben panted heavily, chin pressed to his own flat chest as he hung his head, clenching his teeth. His palms were pressed to Kanou-a's stomach below the navel for support, tan fingers splayed on the pale skin. With knees folded on either side of the fishy waist, toes curling till the soles of his feet were yellow, he whined as a thick blue shaft slwoly half-buried into his ass.

Ben gave a long groan of pleasure that overlapped with the deep one from the merman underneath, as the brunette slid himself down, at a pace so slow that Kanou-a nearly strained to buck upwards.

"Ahhhhnngghh..." they whined; Kanou-a's chest arching up, head pushed back against the floor of the tunnel.

He was finding himself simply being more aroused just by the cowgirl sex position Ben had chosen to do. The innocent merman was quite proud he had a very educated lover when it came to such intimacy.

His tapering tail flipped and flopped in pleasure against the floor, sending soft waves gushing around them, replacing away the water that they made very warm with their dense breathing.

"How... how long d-do we have till your mating..." Ben gave a hot breath as he felt the crotch buried to the hilt throb in a sort of exhilarating cold heat. Kanou-a could hardly hear anything or pay attention with himself drowning in the tempting heat that Ben encased the most sensitive part of him in.

"Eunnnnhh... a few h-hours?" Kanou-a attempted between puffs, lifting his head to look up and immediately finding his chest tighten at the godly sight of Ben perched on his waist; the beautiful face sporting pure erotic pleasure, was coloured a luscious red at the cheeks as was the tanned chest. The very compromising sight, blending with his slipping sanity, made his head fall back against the floor in a weary manner.

"Ok," Ben sighed. He let out another breath, slowly adjusting himself to the second time he had ever been breached on the behind.

The rough texture of the floor rubbed painfully against the back of Kanou-a's smooth pale skin, making him impatient. He had let Ben lead for long, now his hands that stayed frozen and clenching at Ben's demand, were now burning for action. His dominant nature replaced his temporary submission to Ben's fluid charms.

Ben's green eyes opened when he felt his slow delirious luxury of enjoyment of 'riding' being interrupted as Kanou-a caught him at the hips, nails clawing on the skin in the process. If anything, the pain just translated into some sort of a masochistic pleasure for the brunette.

However, Ben's surprise came when he felt himself shift as Kanou-a sat up shakily, curling his arms around the waist. Ben felt the powerful tail behind him flip against the ground in a loud thud, and the next thing he knew, the merman and he were together shooting backwards, till Kanou-a's back had slammed against the wall of the tunnel.

"Ungh," Kanou-a groaned, panting with his head back against the wall that supported him to sit up. His energies were concentrating at the waist and the rest of him was simply limp with tired effort. Ben gazed with glazed eyes at the sight of Kanou-a wincing in immeasurable lust, the fins of his shoulders, forearms and waist were now sitting up, like hairs on the back of a person's head when alert. Even the skin near the base of the fins were a little blue and glowing. Ben could easily see the fangs glimmer in the open mouth as Kanou-a panted, gathering his energies.

Ben found himself seized in greedy need as he lowered his face from his heightened position and captured the open mouth with his own. Kanou-a returned the offer, kissing him deeply, while gripping slowly on to the tan thighs and winding the slim tan legs around his pale hips, easing the shaft further in as possible, making it sit rather snugly into the deep interior of Ben's wet hot insides.

Pulling out slowly, Kanou-a's mouth let go of Ben's swollen lips, and breathed water into the slim column of neck, peppering it with licks, while Ben moaned at the ministrations, putting his palms on the wall, fingers splayed for support, raising himself a little in sync to Kanou-a thrusting out, while his abandoned length brushed against Kanou-a's tight chest giving him erotic relief.

Before long, the both of them were rocking up and down, slowly building together a rhythm they themselves were to speed and override.

In the midst of the tight choking fog blinding Kanou-a, his mind whispered that whatever person he was going to be touching tonight will _never_ come even close to the way Ben made him feel; vulnerable, powerful, limp, strong, helpless and dominant, all at the same time. A medley of mixed emotions as he inched his way with Ben to their climax.

o.o.o

(night)

Kanou-a bit his lips, trying to calm his drumming heart and strained breathing. The mermaid servants flowed around him, softly whispering and chuckling as they prepared him for his mating ceremony.

The ceremony was private; since this was only the mating, it was only planned by the immediate members of his family. But once the mate was fixed and they decide that the offsprings will be healthy and powerful, they seal their partnership with public revelation.

So, tonight, as Kanou-a was decorated with gems and jewellery, he only had to worry about this ever-sharp brothers noticing his tense eyes. His father knew not of his human-relations, and his mother always so sweet and accepting of everything, merely would take his nervousness as that of profession.

The mermaids moved back to look at their effort. Kanou-a looked amazing if any more than he already was; his black hair still swivelling around him in a mass of silk, the hair pushed back a little by a sort of crown that emphasised his princely position to his mate. Along with his normal string of sapphires and diamond, there was gold and silver. Hands and arms decked with thin twists of gold ringlets, clasps, amulets, chains, waist lined strings of gold and silver, encrusted with more sparkling gems. He was not completely covered in the ornaments; there were just the amount to make him beautiful but not overloaded in glitter and glam.

Yet, it all felt cold against his pale skin. He wondered why he would have to wear all these when he eventually would have to take them off during the mating anyway. But being the generic good son and obedient merman, he never questioned the believes and procedures of his tradition.

The look of softly disdained dullness was the only thing mismatched with his irresistible elegance. The mermaids blinked concernedly at him, and he noticed their tensing.

He looked up from where he had been gazing on the coral floor, and smiled appreciatively at them. "Thank you, you have made me look lovely." He glanced at the mirror and realised that they _really_ had done so.

The lot of them blushed heavily and bowed together in gratitude. He bowed gently too, until a merman servant appeared at the door and spoke, "Your Highness? The Princess had arrived."

Kanou-a felt his throat go dry. Nodding he swam his way out the door as the servant sidestepped to make way.

Outside, at the corridor, Kaprosca, Koniel and Ke-inno floated, waiting for him, their eyes zooming over his body while they smiled.

"You look quite the handsome you are, Kanou-a," Kaprosca spoke.

"Thank you", he whispered in respect. The three brothers looked at each other, clearly sensing that Kanou-a's smile did not reach his eyes, and that his voice did not come from his heart.

Across from the corridor, stood King Tresthemon, in his glory of black hair and rippling muscles, and Queen Gelloura with her charming ageless beauty, her ebony hair so long that two mermaids swam beside her to hold the locks from being tangled all over the place.

Kanou-a glanced at them, and they smiled at him reassuringly, proud to see their last child finally in the ceremony.

The maids at the bedroom across from the corridor bowed to the brothers and the parents, saying, "She is ready, Your Highnesses."

The three brothers nodded and turned to Kanou-a who looked a little shocked, as if he would suddenly bolt around and tear off in a swim. Kaprosca gently approached him, the gold of his eyes sparkling as he whispered, "Kanou-a, remove that human from your mind during the next few hours. This is the matter of the existence of your next generation, Kanou-a; this is the only way we can create water princes of your lineage."

Kanou-a nodded, feeling even more scared if anything.

The Lightning Prince, being the head of the princes and the first of the sons, had the say when to let Kanou-a start. After receiving a nod from his father, Kaprosca turned to Kanou-a and gestured to the bedroom. Kanou-a took a deep breath and found his tail move of its own accord. The three brothers and the parents watched Kanou-a swim to the large gold bedroom doors, and push it open. He slipped inside and closed it behind him.

Inside, he let out a sigh. He had been feeling choked, pretending to be agreeing of something that pained him, but he had no choice.

Looking around at the beautiful lavish bedroom, he swam closer to the large bed crafted of sea shells and made to look like a large open clam, decorated with exotic water-flowers and plants, a soft appealing scent in the water.

Sitting upon the soft mattress of the silk covered bed, was the Princess. She was also decorated in the similar way, but more in amount and feminine in jewellery. She had lush red hair flowing down in waves with a tiara that crowned a transparent veil running around her head and down her shoulders. She had a very fair rosy complexion, dark blue shells to cover her bosoms, and a very sparkling tail of pink and blue. Her head was bowed, and when she felt him approach her, she straightened and stood up, hands clasped in respect, smiling sweetly. Her eyes were cyan green; warm and kind.

"Prince Kanou-a", he bowed introducing himself. Her eyes shone in admiration at the way he radiated of pure beauty and grace.

"Princess Selena", she replied in her sweet voice, also bowing.

They straightened to look at each other. In any other eyes, they would make a wonderful couple, given the fact the two were complementing each other; a large marble sculpture of masculine elegance and small fragile glasswork of feminine grace. Yet to Kanou-a, it was not right at all.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, she smiled, "Please do sit, Prince."

Kanou-a smiled, making her blush, and he sat down beside her so that they faced each other.

How were they to start? This was just too awkward and embarrassing to Kanou-a. With Kirby, he could not simply wait to kiss him and then have him moan helpless under his superb hands, and dive into Ben's delicious heating insides till he lost all sense of Time and Space.

But here, he found himself blank and frozen. Like an absolutely inexperienced toddler.

Selena seemed more at peace than him. She looked on at his handsome face and whispered, "This is not your first time I presume?" her cyan eyes roaming on the many white, blue-tipped fins peering attractively amidst the jewellery.

"You assume correctly," he smiled, as he observed her, "So isn't your's?" Pink and blue fins adorned her as well.

"I matured through my previous ceremony. However, that mating did not bear me children. The mate was not compatible for me."

"Oh, I see," he nodded looking away.

Kanou-a felt his heart thrum. For a moment, he wished darkly that this beautiful lady was not going to be compatible either, but then he cursed himself for thinking such negative thoughts.

Selena observed him closely. She seemed wise enough to see him tense and confused. So she offered, "I suppose you matured through a male?"

Kanou-a abruptly turned to her, "W-why yes, how did you know?"

She smiled sweetly again, a supreme picture of calm and composure, "I see you are rather uncomfortable with a female here."

"Oh! No, I am not!" Kanou-a spoke a little in alert, smiling apologetically, "I... I am just a little nervous since I have not much acquaintance with you..."

"Its alright," she blinked in understanding. She saw him bite his lips, so she asked, "Is something the matter, Prince?"

"When must we... start, actually?"

Selene bestowed him a look of patience, "Anytime you wish to, Highness; you are, after all, the dominant one here."

"Alright, then," he frowned at his lap, and then looked up softening his gaze, "We may start."

_And get this over with, before I lose my mind!_

Selena smiled, "Would you want to use the aphrodisiac?", as she gestured to a purple ball that sat on the bedside table. It contained a swirling pink gas in it.

For merpeople, copulation is not a means of pleasure, but that of survival. Most of the time, the mating does not involve either of the two feeling aroused on their own, because they hold spiritually pure intensions. So they try to be intimate and arouse themselves on purpose. But in cases when they try to be intimate and it fails, the aphrodisiac released into the water, which does its job brilliantly.

"Oh?!" Kanou-a retracted at the sight of the purple ball, with the seductive pink swirls coiling inside of it; he shook his head, not wanting to even think of the possibility that he might utter Kirby's name under the affect of the chemical. "I-I'm sure we don't really need that yet..."

"Alright," she complied. Kanou-a appreciated the lady's nature of relaxed calm, and that of not trying to force herself on him.

Kanou-a bit the insides of his cheeks, remembering Ben's words and his brother's words. He _had_ to do this, he had no option otherwise.

Selena looked intently at him, her eyes half-lidded in her gaze as if he were some interesting specimen. Kanou-a took a deep inaudible breath and smiled back. He willed his hands to stop shaking as he reached out and pulled away the veil around her hair, and placed it aside. He moved closer, feeling her small figure inch closer as well. She was extremely feminine, all the curves in all the right places, the manner her bosoms swelled from above the shells covering it, her thin arms, her fair skin, her swan neck, her hourglass waist, thin tail. She seemed so much fragile in comparison to his tough chiselled body, he felt he could crush her under his embrace if he tried.

In contrast to Kirby, who was not only feminine but also had the strength to contrast. In fact, Ben could simply crush HIM, with the softest of kisses and gentlest swipe of tongue.

_No! It does not do right to think of Kirby now!_

A deep scent of perfume stopped his thoughts as he felt small cold hands place on his tail. Looking down he saw her press closer. Gathering all his will, he cupped her small pretty face in his pale hands and brought her closer, his mouth opening with her's to finally meet.

_Odd... this feels...wrong..._

It every possible way, his mind compared this kiss with Kirby's, and concluded this paled in comparison. Yes, the Princess was beautiful, and very talented in the manner she moved her tongue against his, yet it was all too choreographed and fragile; he earned for the fierce raw dominance in Ben's kisses, the pull of his breath that sucked him in and wanted him to fight and conquer Ben, the needy and greedy lash of Kirby's tongue.

The Princess kissed him so softy and gently, it almost put him to sleep.

Not finding himself aroused to the least, Kanou-a tried to will an erection but failed miserably. And he was not going to think of Kirby just to be aroused, for he respected Kirby and did not want to use him as an aphrodisiac.

His thoughts broke when he felt a hand trail up his muscular chest. He gulped softly, unable to stop comparing yet again, no matter how hard he tried to push down his mind. The Princess's hand was cool and soft, whereas Kirby's would blaze in whimpering heat and it always made him light up.

As the lady's hand trailed up to his pectorals, he saw in the back of his mind, the brunette with his arms around him, adorning his ears with moans and keens, while short nails grazed pleasurably across his skin...

Kanou-a clenched his teeth, starting to feel wrong and confused. His mind was disagreeing with his sense, the constant battle took place and the lady kissed him so slowly, that he found himself nearly in a fit of impatience.

Before he could do or say anything, he pulled back with a pop, his face nearly red in effort of mind-war. He moved back, several inches away, panting in sort of mad confusion.

Selena gazed at him, her lips pushed out and eyes half-lidded, hand in the air where it had been touching Kanou-a's chest.

"Is something wrong, Prince?" she asked solemnly.

Kanou-a stood up, backing away from the bed, as if he was deranged, his eyes wild, "I can't do this! I can't! I'm sorry but I can't!"

Selena smiled in reply, brushing a lock of red hair behind an ear, "Am I so ugly you can't stand touching me?"

Kanou-a's innocence glowed through his face, "Nonsense! You, Princess, are extremely beautiful and smart, and I see that any man in virtue of your presence will be happy with you! But... not I, I'm afraid."

She sat back, with a gentle chuckle, "Ah, so I guessed true. You are in love with someone, aren't you?"

Kanou-a recoiled, a deep blush painting across his fair cheeks, "Uh,..."

"You need not deny it, Prince; I heard you mutter a name as I kissed you, and you sounded so very passionate?"

Kanou-a blinked. He could not believe he had spoken Kirby's name involuntarily, without him even knowing it.

"I love him with all my heart and soul, and I cannot will myself to touch anyone else, so please you must understand, Princess."

When Selena opened her mouth to tell him something, he interrupted, "I'm sorry, please excuse me," and Selena watched in a daze as the merman turned around and zoomed off to the large golden doors.

Outside, the three brothers turned solemnly when the gold doors shot open, to reveal a hard-faced Kanou-a. The maids and servants gasped and froze in confusion. The parents looked at each other in surprise that the mating was over so soon. Kaprosca frowned as Kanou-a swam away from them all, in superb speed, away down the corridor, away from the palace, shedding his ornaments as he went, his face sporting a pained look of bewildered confusion. His goal was his secluded spot in the sauna-well, where he could sulk in leisure of his failure to mate.

The brothers watched their youngest sibling run away, leaving only a trail of gold, silver and gems on the floor.

Kaprosca stared after him, a sigh falling from his lips. He felt a smooth hand touch his shoulder, and he turned to see Gelloura gaze at him with a concerned look in her sea-moss eyes, "What's the matter with Kanou-a?"

Kaprosca looked at the large window showing the water world outside, "Mother, Little Brother has fallen deeply in love."

She smiled softly.

Kaprosca added, "With a human."

Her smile fell.

o.o.o

Kevin yawned openly. He turned from his bed and saw the glow-in-the-dark numbering of his alarm clock show him the digits.

"Twelve midnight," he grumbled, wondering why he was not falling asleep. He tossed and turned again. The words of the gypsy lady reverberating in his mind.

"Fuck, what now?" he groaned. Realising that he was not going to fall asleep, he sat up.

Twiddling his fingers, he decided to go have a drink of warm milk or something, completely forgetting what happened the last time he had decided to use food for deviating lack of sleep.

He slowly got up, nearly jumping at the sound of the bed creaking. Giving a sigh at how jumpy he was, he walked out of his bedroom in the bluish darkness. As he passed Ben's bedroom, he grit his teeth, closing his eyes so that he wouldn't see the door at all as if it didn't exist. Merely seeing the door reminded him of that one night.

But he nearly tripped walking blind so he had to open his eyes.

The moment he did, his ears opened too; then he heard it.

His brown eyes widened into saucers. His eyebrows creased and his face tightened with pursed lips.

Muffled moans came gently form the bedroom, "Unnnhhh... haaaa... uunhhhh..."

_He's having another dream AGAIN?!_

Kevin couldnot believe how Ben was going at it again. As if calling out to him, begging, purring, moaning, whimpering,...

_WALK AWAY, LEVIN! WALK AWAY! WALK AWAY! I SAID WALK... into the room. Great._

He blinked to realise he was already involuntarily in the room before his mind could die in the defeat. It was surprising how his legs and hands had reacted so fast simply at the hearing of Ben's cooes.

There was no backing up now; Ben needed his help, and he needed to... help him. Rolling his eyes, knowing all too well what's going to happen, he groaned as he silently closed the door.

A small buzz came as he switched on the Silencer.

A long time later, the bedroom door opened again in the dead of the night. A shaking raven stood at the threshold, his shirt sticking to his chest with sweat, his forehead drenched as well. His breath came in silent gasps and pants, lips swollen red, eyes glazed, cheeks burning. His right hand dripped in milky white semen, his shorts dripping with his own.

Grumbling, he walked up to the bathroom, and on the way, catching a song being played from Gwen's room, where she was asleep but her radio wasn't.

_"- I hate, how much, I love you girl; I just can't stand, how much, I need you; said I hate, how much, I love you girl; but I just can't let you go,... and I hate, that I love you so...- "_

_-_ End of chapter-

* * *

**_Yay! Neo and Rihanna's 'Hate That I Love You'! :D I just love symbolic songs! Uwaaaa!_**

**__****_and BWAK! hetero sex! so not cool, man!_**

**_Oh and this chapters kinda weird; I feel its a bit incomplete (im not talking about the mid-sex scene or another detailed handjob, you perverted reader! Wink wink!) but somewhere I think thats not how a mating ceremony takes place. But oh well, my AU, my rules, and thts how it goes! :D _**

**_Any problems with my plot and you know where to shove your problems up, right?! ;D_**


	11. Open Triangle

**_Omg! Survived a writer's block phew! :D I have mad dodging skills, peypuhl! Heheheh!_**

**_oh and yeah, more stuff coming up! :D_**

**_warning : yaoi, boyslove, angst, mermen, confused love, angsty angst... you name it._**

**_disclaimer: i do not own ben ten alien force._**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**Chapter Eleven : Open Triangle**

_I saw a picture of you, Hanging in an empty hallway_  
_ I heard a voice that I knew, And I couldn't walk away_  
_ It took me back to the end, Of everything_  
_ I taste it all I taste it all,_  
_ The tears again..._

_ Outside the rain's fallin' down, There's not a drop that hits me_  
_ Scream at the sky but no sound, Is leavin' my lips_  
_ It's like I can't even feel, After the way you touched me_  
_ I'm not asleep but I'm not awake_  
_ After the way you loved me!_

o.o.o

The morning came as always.

Sitting on the couch, Kevin tried to keep his eyes off the happy brunette yapping something about mango-flavoured sun lotions as the girls listened. The loud voice was definitely not so irritating last night when the same mouth had fed his ears such delicious moans and thick purrs.

But, unfortunately, there was nothing to do about it. Kevin mentally cursed himself for having fallen into the temptation of touching Ben last night as well. Much like how a person had used drugs out for curiosity and then found to his utter dismay there was no turning back from the temptation.

How displaced yet befitting that sounded.

Kevin groaned, something he was doing a lot nowadays. He closed his eyes, deep in thought.

He was surprised though, that unlike his first time touching Ben, he had slept quite deeply last night. Maybe even doing a bit of dreaming himself. Well, he considered that he must have been far too shocked on the first time that he could not sleep. But, does that meant he was used to it now?

_No, I can't get used to this! I don't want to keep sneaking out at night and petting Ben in unmentionable places! _

To hell with the fact that he was now undeniably in love with the hero. He didn't care that his heart was all Ben's now; he knew things won't turn out good if he let himself physically depend on Ben. Kevin's mind feared that if he didn't learn how to hold back, there might come a point when he could not go a night without his hand stroking Ben's crotch.

Who knows, maybe tomorrow, if Ben is under his erotic dream again, Kevin might lose himself to actually do MORE than _just touch_ him...

Kevin's eyes snapped open in protest of the mental images starting to form in his mind. Thankfully, he stared at Gwen's behind _just in time_ before the images could flesh out and be imprinted cruelly permanent in his head.

_Eh, waddya know; the Tennyson cousins have identical asses..._

When the rosette turned around, Kevin's eyes shot off to the floor blankly.

"Kevin, we're leaving for the surfing classes!" she sing-songed happily, locking elbows with her bestie, who nodded and spoke, "Bye, Kevin!"

Kevin gave them a lazy nod.

There was a time when Kevin, too, used to sling his powerful, heavy arm around a particular brunette, and laugh off with him as they walked away to Mr. Smoothies. Now, he knew he could never enjoy that sort of casual hug or friendly intimacy without his nether regions setting itself on wet fire.

A hand touched his shoulder and he turned to find himself stare into toxic green eyes.

"Kevin, want some?"

Kevin's eyes fell on the cup of yogurt in Ben's hand that he extended out in a friendly manner. The tail of a spoon stuck out the corner of Ben's mouth. Kevin looked at Ben and then at the yogurt cup; his mouth tasting bile as memories poured in like a sandstorm, his right hand's palm sweating and twitching.

He shot up from his seat and winced away from Ben's touch, as if the small tanned hand on his shoulder had burnt him like acid, "Don't touch me!"

Ben, Gwen and Julie watched with identical looks of confusion as Kevin tore out of the room and walked out of the house in a huff.

"Ok, this is just weird; first its Ben who acts crazy, and now its Kevin," Gwen raised an eyebrow in loose amusement.

"Maybe its the salt water from all the swimming?" Julie attempted, with a finger on her chin.

Ben just watched the path Kevin had run off by, and then looked down at the yogurt. "Maybe he's allergic to yogurts?"

o.o.o

"Kanou-a!" Ben cooed happily, making his way to the merman who sat on the rock, staring out to the horizon. Jumping at the sound of his name, he turned around and bestowed Ben with a loving smile, although his eyes looked tired and weary.

Ben walked over, and knelt behind the merman, curling his arms around the strong neck, and kissing him on the lips in a form of 'good afternoon'. After their lips parted, Ben cuddled his face to the marble smooth cheek, as he whispered, "Wassup?"

By now, Kanou-a knew what most of the human slangs meant.

"Well, nothing much..." Kanou-a responded trying to sound normal, and Ben studied the lack of usual glint in the indigo orbs.

"Oh, no; what happened now?!" Ben asked worriedly and softly, sitting down to Kanou-a's right-side on the rock, letting his legs dangle off it and into the water below. Ben stared intently at the merman's face, who sighed, saying, "My face betrays me, doesn't it?"

"A lot!" Ben nodded, inching closer, warmly locking his left arm with the merman's right, "Now, tell me what happened? It's about the mating, isn't it?"

...a few minutes later...

Ben lay on the rock, hands folded behind his head, as he stared up at the cloudless expanse of blue sky, a few flocks of seagulls flying and cawing. Kanou-a lay down too, with his head on Ben's boyish flat chest, wet hair splayed around them, fingers tracing idle circles on the tanned skin.

"So, you backed out in the last moment, huh?" Ben mused, still watching the sky.

"I suppose you are ashamed of my failure. All that you said yesterday that made me so courageous, and yet I failed," Kanou-a sighed, his cold fingers sadly stroking the smooth hairless chest, running along the contours of the muscles hard-earned from soccer.

"To be frank; I'm kinda stuck between smug satisfaction and responsible guilt!" Ben smiled sheepishly at the sky.

Kanou-a paused, and tilted up his head to see Ben's chin, "How so?"

"Well, I feel kinda good that you could not sleep with anyone else but me, even when you tried, and even when I told you to. But I'm also feeling bad that, 'cause of me, you disobeyed a tradition and could not mate."

"Oh," Kanou-a looked surprised, "I see you are justified. But you are not ashamed of me, are you?"

"Not at all! Actuallly it just feeds my smug satisfaction!" Ben shrugged, Kanou-a's head moving in the process. "What'd your bros say? Were they mad at you?"

Kanou-a sighed, "Ah, yes. After I returned from my running away, I went right up to my brothers, father and mother. Father was so incredibly furious," Kanou-a paused as if frozen in just remembering his father's wrath, "And mother was concerned. My brothers, well, they saved me, to be honest."

"Oh?" Ben questioned.

"You see, I confessed to my parents openly, and apologised to them. My father was angry enough to bellow the ocean into drying! Yet, brother Ke-inno, who can control the essence of water, made sure Father was calm and not succumbing to his rather irrational wrath."

"Oh, that's a relief!...Wait, essence?"

"Yes, the particular property of water that keeps creatures alive? That we breathe in the water? The same essence that land creatures breathe in air?"

"Oh, _that!_" Ben beamed looking down at the merman's face, "We call it Oxygen. It's a gas, that keeps living things alive, yeah."

"Ah, then Okseeyken, it is," Kanou-a pronounced the word as well as he could. "Brother Ke-inno can alter the amount of Okseeyken in the water, making a person choke from the lack of it, or relax at the abundance of it. After all, Brother Ke-inno controls the element of air and this Okseeyken is a part of air originally, is it not?"

"Yeah it is," Ben nodded, before adding thoughtfully, "So, Ke-inno can calm the minds of people. He's kinda like Jasper Cullen from the Twilight series Gwen keeps blabbering about, huh?"

"Sorry?" Kanou-a gave that innocent child's look, one that makes Ben want to kiss him motherly and tell him, 'Oh its nothing dear, you'll know when you grow up'.

Ben grinned, removing one hand from under his head and lowering it, running his fingers through the damp black hair of the head laying on his chest, "Nothing,... so, what about the other brothers?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, Brother Koniel was actually the one to help me more; you see, he explained to Father and Mother about the dilemma I was facing due to love. For, Brother Koniel himself was in love. His mate is a merman he had fallen in love with. And it was quite an issue during the year Brother had to mate."

"Issue? So he fell in love with a human too?!"

"Not really. You see, there are these special kinds of merpeople of our kingdom, who bear special black magic. They are called the Darks. We pure merpeople do not crossbreed with them; Father and the head of the Dark community had been through quite a lot of squabbles, mainly due to their sinister actions. When it was the year for my brother to mate, he happened to meet an androgynous Dark merman, named Irides, who was wounded by the attack of a shark."

_[A/N: Irides is pronounced as Ai- reee-des;... Ai as in 'fly', ree as in 'rihanna', and des as in 'desperate'. I hope you get that?]_

"Irides was a nice merman, with a heart of gold, unlike the other Darks whose hearts are as dark as their name. Brother Koniel and Irides became close, meeting in secret. Soon enough, at about the mating season, when Brother Kaprosca and Father set a meeting to discuss a mating ceremony, Brother Koneil appeared already matured. When asked by whom, he refused to speak about it. He too, like me, denied a mating ceremony for an unknown reason, fearful of Father and Brother Kaprosca. Soon, being unable to hold his secret from the elders, he presented a terrified Irides to us, completely revealing to us how he met him, how they would see each other in secret, and how they were deeply in love despite their statuses. Ah, quite the surprising day it was, I was awed by how dishevelled Brother Koniel looked; he was always calm, composed although quick-tempered; yet, standing in front of Father, he had flashes of crimson terror in his eyes beside the fiery determination. He feared Father would banish him, or worse punish Irides for involving sexually with a Prince of the kingdom. Father however, was so powerful, he could read off Irides's aura and realised that he had not a twinge of bad intentions in him, and that any child born to Irides would be free of black magic. So he complied, saying that Irides had a pure loving heart, hence he was free to be Koniel's mate, after being cleansed to be a part of our community. Since Irides was an orphan, we needn't fear of anyone from the Dark community protesting against us. And that was how Irides became my Brother Irides. It was soon made public, although his Dark identity was kept in the ...well, dark."

"Wow," Ben beamed in joy, "Its like the Romeo and Juliet, but with a good ending!"

Kanou-a looked at him in confusion again. Ben shook his head, "Its a fictional story, with a similar storyline, but had a very sad ending... but your bro's was a really good one!"

"Yes, it was. Ah, the relief that flooded across Brother Koniel's face when Father accepted Brother Irides...it was so beautiful to watch," Kanou-a sighed, but his smile fell as he murmured, "But that sort of relief is not destined for me, I'm afraid."

Ben nodded sadly too, "Yeah, makes me wish I had a tail and -"

"_Kirby_," Kanou-a spoke low with a warning tone laced in his voice, an eyebrow arched while the other lay low.

"Oh, right, sorry, no morphing-and-body-changing-thoughts, yeah," Ben blushed in shame. Kanou-a sat up on an elbow and ruffled Ben's dry brown hair, "Not the matter, Kirby. But I don't want you to change."

"So, are you saying you won't love me if I grew a tail, or had fins?" Ben pouted in a tease. Kanou-a looked down at him, narrowing his eyes with a smile, "No, Kirby, that is not what I meant. I mean to say that I want to love you as you were when I first saw you, the same Kirby, human Kirby, who had captured my heart when several hadn't. I don't want you to alter your body just to meet my needs."

"So if I changed by mistake, you won't shun me will you?" Ben grinned, "Nah, of course you won't, you can't go a day without thinking of me, right, Kanou-a, love?"

Kanou-a pouted in turn, feigning a vain look, "I would like to reply with, as you humans say, 'dont nudge you fortune, pal'!"

Ben tried to hold back a giggle, failing miserably, "I think you mean 'dont push your luck, pal'?"

"Where's the difference?" Kanou-a asked innocently.

Ben rolled his eyes, laughing as Kanou-a contemplated where he had gone wrong. Once Ben had finished laughing, he patted Kanou-a's head back into his chest, and spoke, "Ok, jokes aside, tell me, when Koniel defended you, what'd your dad say?"

Kanou-a mused, stroking the skin again, "Well, when Brother Koniel explained the reason of why I couldn't mate with another, Father was accepting of it, yet it did not remove the painful fact that you are a human, hence there was no choice for me but to give in to a ceremony. I apologized to my parents and brothers, and requested them to give me a few days to prepare myself mentally for a ceremony. They agreed, saying I could take my time, but I would have to be quick for once the mating season is over, most of the royal mermen and mermaids of my age would have already mated."

"Don't worry, some destined lucky-ass will come to you," Ben said with a sad smile, and patted Kanou-a's shoulder, making the merman look up asking, "Given the fact that you told me an 'ass' is a human's behind, and that merpeople do not have asses, so the lucky ass would be you, isn't it?"

Ben lifted his head and looked down at him, a sad glint in his green eyes as he whispered, "Kanou-a, you know I can't... man, you're killing me..." the brunette's head fell back against the rock, eyes trying to hide the tears that hadn't fallen since he heard of the mating rule. Kanou-a felt bad too, crawling up the body, to tower his face above Ben's, "Sorry, Kirby," and planted a sweet gesture of apology on Ben's lips with his own. Ben returned it, smiling and willing his tears back into his eyes.

"So, um," Ben spoke, clearing the crack in his voice, as Kanou-a rested his damp black head on Ben's left shoulder, together they were gazing up at the sky, but not really seeing it, "What about your eldest bro, Caspero?"

"Kaprosca, you mean," Kanou-a chuckled. Ben grinned sheepishly again, "Hey don't tease me; you dunno how ridiculous you sound when you say 'Oxygen'!"

Kanou-a pouted, Ben pouted back. The merman shrugged it off with a smile, and continued, "Well, Brother Kaprosca was rather solemn throughout the discussion, but that could also have been Brother Ke-inno's influence. Either way, Brother was not very defiant of me and accepted my request too. I had been terrified of him; Brother Kaprosca had inherited Father's relentless anger, his eyes really flash like lightning and his voice would thunder on ears of those who angers him. Infact, he actually looks more beautiful when he is angry, like an extremely stormy sea that holds in own magnificence despite the fear it brings. Brother Koniel is beautiful when he is angry too, his eyes would flame and flicker in heat that can burn any in his way. Brother Ke-inno is always solemn; seldom does he ever get angry. But when he does, his anger is very captivating, cold and chilly, and just as fatally scary and as much mesmerising."

"Woah..." Ben tried to picture the three brothers, "And you? How are you when you are angry?"

"How am I to know?!" Kanou-a laughed, "I'm sure when I'm angry, the last thing on my mind is about how I look!"

"Touche," Ben grinned. Staring up at the sky, and using it as a canvas, Ben tried to imagine Kevin, who usually blows his top more than once (mainly due to Tennyson himself) and imagined the angry Kevin with long hair, bare-chested, with blue eyes and fins and fangs. The very thought jolted Ben's senses, making him blush, "Woah... that's gorgeous!"

"What is?" Kanou-a asked, watching Ben's zoned-out face, in the curiosity of a canary bird.

"Never mind," Ben smiled at the sky, "So, Prince Kanou-a, when will you actually do the mating?"

Kanou-a fell silent, biting his lip, "I am not sure, but I plan to take less than four days. It will be terribly difficult; I may even have to go to the length of imagining the chosen mate as you, although it would not be the same as the mate _being_ you..."

Ben rolled on his side, looking at Kanou-a with a smirk, "Then maybe you should practice with your eyes closed?"

"Huh?" Kanou-a raised his eyebrows in confusion.

Ben leaned over and pushed Kanou-a back on the rock, till he was now straddling the merman who lay flat on his back on the rock. "Close your eyes, and channel the touches of the person who is your mate, into the touches coming from me. We should try sex with your eyes closed, so that when you have to do it with someone else, you just have to close your eyes and remember me," Ben grinned wider, lacing his left hand over Kanou-a's eyes.

The merman lifted both his hands a little, in reflex of being blinded, while speaking, "But, not seeing your beautiful self will not make the mating as pleasurable as it - Aaahhh!" his sentence broke with a gasp, followed by drowning into a low moan, when he felt small full lips lick him around a nipple, while simultaneously Ben's free hand teased by stroking tantalisingly on the dolphin-skin of Kanou-a's tail at the area under which his blue crotch hid. Ben grinned further with the pink bud on the chest now in his mouth, as he felt a small warm bulge grow at his fingertips, the moaning merman arching his chiselled chest, pale fingers pressing yellow onto the rock at his sides.

Kanou-a was paralysed in the sharp wisps of pleasure that secured him tightly just by the ministrations of Ben's mouth and fingers. The sinful pleasure was warming Kanou-a's cool body, as he spoke in a husky voice that made Ben hard, "Y-you do love t-to tease, d-dont you, K-Kirby?"

Ben removed his mouth from the erect nipple, grinning, "Hey, practice makes perfect, y'know!"

o.o.o

Koniel gave a soft sigh as he sat at his bed. A year or two ago, he remembered how he had trembled before Tresthemon, professing his undying affection for Irides. He had been fortunate that Irides was a merman, and that he was good one, too. He felt rather dull for his little brother who had reached even further up the list of impossible mates.

A soft aura made its presence in the merman's senses, turning to his right; he smiled at Irides, who swam in with a plate of special oceanic fruits.

Irides had silvery white hair, with a short low fringe cut evenly along his slim eyebrows. Behind, the hair was shaped like a 'V', the shortest strands reached the shoulder blades and the longest reached his waist. He had a small soft face, feminine features, gentle amethyst eyes, and pale skin. His tail was an iridescent indigo, with fins of light blue and purpled tips. It was a wonder he had been born to the Dark community when he looked so much of light, and brightness. He had adorned a single ruby around his neck, one that Koniel had given him when he first told him about his tender feelings, and Irides had treasured it ever since, and now also wearing a few other gems because he was asked to by the royal family. His upper body looked that of a male, yet, hidden under the sheath of his skin on his tail was not male, but female genitals.

Ones that had brought Koniel heavenly pleasure.

Irides placed the plate on the table and sat down on the coral floor, arms resting on the soft sheets of their bed, "Koniel," his voice, sweet and gentle, floated to the Fire Prince, "I hear there is quite a commotion about Brother Kanou-a? What is it? I had been too preoccupied to ask, and I considered it nosy from my side to interfere."

Koniel's crimson irises travelled low to catch Irides's lilac ones. Sighing, he reached low and stroked the soft billowing hair of silver, "Brother Kanou-a has repeated my history, love."

"Hmm?" Irides tilted his head.

"Kanou-a has fallen in forbidden love."

"A Dark?" Irides parted his lips in surprise, though his eyes were still half lidded in calmness.

"Worse," Koniel sighed, closing his eyes, leaning back till he lay down on the soft sheets that soothed his bare back, his long plated hair snaking beside him, "A Human Male."

A forlorn frown laced Irides's delicate eyebrows as his lips drooped, "Oh dear," he felt a pang of sympathy for his little brother.

Kanou-a was a polite young merman, why did he have to suffer this fate?

"Can't be helped, can it, Irides?" Koniel sighed, "That his lover is a _human_ male, of all things. Kanou-a had already turned down a ceremony yesterday, running away from Princess Selena who was far more amused than any bit offended. As Kanou-a swam away, I'm sure Brother Kaprosca cursed the water, in repetition of bitter situations, only, this is far more sad than my case."

Irides hung his head on the firey red tail of his lover, feeling the soft smoothness with his pale fingers, "Poor Kanou-a. Will he mate with any, at all?"

"He has agreed to." Koniel added, "Our brother is in love, but he is not forgetful of his responsibility. He has asked for a few days' time to adjust to the prospect of mating with anyone other than his human lover. Ah, I sympathise with that uncomfortable feeling, it was so heart wrenching..."

Irides nodded from Koniel's tail, "I hope he can swallow that bitter feeling for the sake of our tradition?"

"He _must_," Koniel frowned, "I have a bad feeling his human lover is going to cause some trouble."

o.o.o

Alone in his room, Ke-inno meditated in calm. His mate was with her servants tending to the queen, so he was all alone in his room. The calmness across his face was momentarily displaced with a small frown of being unable to recognise something.

"What is this... this _turbulence,_ in the essence of air above the water world...," his silvery eyes fluttered open, a curl of black hair floating across his face, "A different kind of essence, it hangs above the kingdom of the water... it is becoming frequent since the past few days... I wonder what it is... has it something to do with Kanou-a's lover...?"

o.o.o

_I, can't, turn this around,_  
_ I keep running into walls that I can't break down_  
_ I said I just wander around_  
_ With my eyes wide shut, because of you_  
_ I'm a sleepwalker, walker, walker!_  
_ I'm a sleepwalker, walker, walker!_

o.o.o

Kevin braced himself from beside the window of the house. It was only a matter of time. He had spotted the brunette walking towards the beach house from afar, and now he knew, with Gwen and Julie occupied with their volleyball match, and Ben being home early from wherever he disappears to, this was his chance.

To confess. To spit out his fucked-up feelings. To straighten his cracked ruler.

Anything, to make him sane again.

Watching the happy brunette walk nearer the house, Kevin scrambled away from the window and up the stairs, and into his own room. Panting from the sudden short sprint, he waited silently and patiently. He could hear the distant knock on the door. He waited again; logic telling him Ben would try the door knob. Accurately, he heard the click as the door (which he left purposely unlocked) opened and then came the shuffle of feet as the brunette walked in. after about a few minutes, Kevin could hear the light feet skip up the steps, and then walk to his room to change. He was going to have to wait till Ben was done.

Ben smiled as he walked into his room, taking off his salty shirt and flinging it aside on the chair. He knew just flopping the wet cloth on the bed would make a big wet spot on it as if he had peed in his bed. He took off his Bermudas and his boxers, flinging them on the chair as well. Whistling with a care in the world that he was stark naked, he stretched and popped his muscles in place, rubbing his hands idly and lovingly over the fresh new hickey Kanou-a had planted on him with sweetly sharp fangs.

Man, they had felt so good on his skin.

He would be expected to feel sore on the ass after being penetrated, but Kanou-a's healing came in handy, Ben remembering how he had blushed deep red as Kanou-a pressed a finger to his stretched sphincter and a few tingles later, completely healed any after-sex soreness.

Walking to the inbuilt bamboo wardrobe, he pulled out a pair of black shorts, a pair of green boxers, and a dry red t-shirt with yellow maple patterns on it. Slipping on the said articles, and leaving a button open on his shirt at the collar, Ben hummed as he walked into the attached bathroom to wash his face.

He was temporarily blind when he walked back into the room, because he had pressed the canary-yellow towel to his face, soaking up the water that wet him. Lowering the towel he froze at the sight of Kevin standing there in the middle of the room, like a statue, observing him like a blank mannequin.

"Oh!" Ben blinked, and then smiled cheerfully, "Ssup, Kev? Didn't know you were in the house." Ben tossed the towel aside as brushed up his fringe off his forehead. Kevin did not answer, other than tense a little, clenching and unclenching his fist.

Now that he had Tennyson cornered, he was suddenly dry in the mouth. What should he say? 'I love you'? 'I hate that I love you'? 'You moan like a cat-in-heat in your sleep'? 'Your skin smells like smoothies?'

"Uh," Kevin started, watching Ben calmly untie the several knots of his earphones, readying it for his iPod. "Yeah, Kevin?"

_Levin! Say something damnit!_

"Look, Tennyson, I know you're gay."

Ben dropped his mass of tangled earphones, it fell on the floor it a soundlessly fashion. He turned around, his tanned face a little pale as he stared and stared at Kevin who looked rather unfazed.

"W-what?!" Ben recoiled nervously, and then relaxed, although trembling a little, scratching the back of his head, putting on the defensive innocent act, "C'mon Kevin... that's ... not even funny."

"It isn't," Kevin pointed out bluntly, "...'Cause its the truth. You're gay."

Ben gulped, "Wh-hu... how can y-you be sure?"

"You left eye is twitching. Plus, I have other proof," Kevin looked away and eyed the floor, "I'll shortly explain." He raised his face to look at the wildly fearful green irises.

Ben blinked, his mind calculating the pros and cons of the situation. He had already tried denying it, but it failed thanks to his nervousness and the damn eye twitching. He could see Kevin was serious and not pulling his leg. Well, he was truly cornered, and a serious Kevin was far more difficult to lie to than a casual Kevin. Now that he had been tugged out of the closet, he might as well give in.

Ben bit his lip, looking at the floor, "Ok, I admit it," and then he whispered, "You won't tell Gwen, will you? Or Julie? They'd eat me alive!" he wrung his hands together nervously. Kevin stared at the fidgeting and sweating boy and nearly rolled his eyes.

"You think I'd be standing here, wasting time, if I wanted to tell them about this?!"

"Oh, um, right. Ok," Ben raised an eyebrow, dropping his trembling hands that were now relaxed. He blinked at Kevin who blinked back. "So, uh, that's all what you want to tell me? That you know I am gay?"

"Yes and no. Yes, I know you're gay, but no, that's not just want I have to say. I have some... important stuff to ask you about this gay thing, you see, I have some issues with you that I have to sort out and..." his voice trailing aimlessly, his words just beating around the bush.

Ben froze on the spot, gasping loudly in terror. Kevin looked up from the floor to Ben, feeling terror grip him too. Had Ben guessed what Kevin was going to say next?

"Oh my god, Kevin! You're _homophobic?!"_

_What. The . Fuck._

Ben hung his head after releasing his gasp in the form of a warm sigh, "I get it; you don't really wanna be around me anymore? Does that explain the 'don't touch me' you threw at me in the morning? 'Cause you're repulsed by me?"

Kevin nearly groaned at the wrong direction this conversation was steering. Before Ben made more false accusations, Kevin stepped forward once, and spoke "No, I'm not homophobic!"

_Far from it, actually. Far, far from it. Like light-years kind of far._

"Oh?" Ben raised an eyebrow, before smiling genuinely, "Phew!"

Kevin frowned at him, "What do you mean 'phew'?!"

Ben blushed gently, scratching the back of his head, "Hey, you're my best friend, Kevin! I'm just glad I didn't lose you to stupid anti-homo believes."

Kevin grit his teeth. Why did Tennyson have to be so fucking cute all the time?! And _what in the world_ was this weird fiery warmth spreading on his manly cheeks, making his spanner-wielding fingers twitch and his ears tingle?!

_It's called a blush, genius._

Kevin cleared his throat, hoping the rare phenomenon on his face did not show through the pale of his skin, "No, I'm not homophobic, and I'm not here to discuss about that."

"Ok?" Ben raised a brown eyebrow again, waiting for Kevin to continue. Kevin in turn stood there, with his eyes planted in a staring match with the floor. "Uh, Kevin, I'm over _here_?"

Kevin looked up, his eyes deadly and narrow. Ben drew back a little, to see that the seriousness just got a little denser so he shut his stupid mouth before he angered the raven youth any more.

Kevin took in a puff of breath, and gave a sigh. Blinking at Ben, he dropped his next words without feeling, without warning.

"I'm gay too."

Ben's green eyes went as wide as they could, while his mouth fell open. His hand flew to his chest where his heart seemed to have fallen asleep and then was suddenly in a frantic hurry to tear out of his ribcage. "Ok. Did NOT see that coming..." he mumbled, his face frozen. Kevin just stared back, expecting that reaction anyway.

Ben gulped, "B-but, you were dating Gwen and all the girls really fall over themselves just to be..."

"Yeah, _I'm_ the one who's gay, not them girls," Kevin pointed out. "And besides, it's only recently that I became one."

"Huh?!" Ben spoke in disbelief.

"It's all _your_ fault, Tennyson."

"WHAT?!" Ben spat in surprise, "How's it supposed to be _my _fault that you're a homo?! In case you're wondering, homosexuality is not a communicable disease!"

Kevin clenched his fist at his side, and advanced slowly towards Ben. Ben, feeling a slow dread trickle into his tummy, slowly backed as well; till he felt his back press to the wall, and Kevin just kept coming closer and closer. Till they were an arm's distance apart.

"I was straight, Ben. I never had the hots for guys. Except for one, as I realise now. Maybe it had been there inside me all along, but now it's all just too obvious and it's not backing down."

Ben stared into the chocolate eyes gazing at him from half-lidded eyesockets, unable to understand what Kevin was trying to say. "Wait, what are you talking about? Where do I co-"

"I'm gay 'cause of YOU, Tennyson! I've– I've fallen in love with you!"

Silence. An uncomfortable calculating silence.

Time stopped for Ben.

He stared with wide dull green eyes, his face visibly ashen. His heart drummed loud enough to a point it was nearly audible to Kevin. Kevin had a similar heart too, drumming and thudding for the opposite reason, till the entire room seemed to be drowning in silence save the frantic pulses of the two revealed teenagers.

"Y-you what...?" Ben's voice was a high whisper of shock, dread shadowed under the green eyes. Kevin gazed back at him, narrowing his eyes to slits.

"Yeah, I know its crazy; even I have not completely accepted it, but I know I am just _really_ in love with you. It's all messed up," Kevin frowned at the floor again. Ben drew in a small breath, still frozen in the impact of the news; and the pang of guilt bubbling in him, as he wondered how he was going to tell Kevin that he was already taken.

What are the odds?! Ben falls in love with a guy who looks like Kevin, and now Kevin is in love with Ben!

"K-Kevin... I ..." Ben stammered, however, Kevin stopped him, "Wait, before you say anything, I just need to tell you, why I am in love with you."

Ben winced a little, feeling more guilt pile up in his stomach like a house of cards built on shaky ground.

Kevin stepped more forward, his presence now intimidating; rarely had Ben ever seen a look like that in Kevin's eyes, the flashing dense kind. This lips pressed in a taut line... was that sweat dotting in between the fringes of black?

"Look, a night ago, I uh, I might have given you a hand job. In your sleep."

Ben just stared at him stupidly. A part of him was shocked into another dimension, and another part of him wanted to laugh till his ass detached off his body.

"Bwhhuu? You're... you're kidding, right?!"

Kevin looked back up from wherever he was staring, and pierced Ben with an irritated stare, "Do I LOOK like I'm kidding, Tennyson?!" his voice wedge between a bark and a hiss.

Ben flinched, feeling as if something was choking him. It was that feeling of déjà vu, a weird sinking that he felt as if something was linked here but he couldn't see it.

"I didn't mean for it to happen, Tennyson," Kevin spoke in sincerity, "I was actually coming back to my room after a midnight snack, but as I passed by your room, I heard these weird noises, so I walked in and there you were, in your bed, moaning in your sleep, as hard as a rock! You were totally having a wet dream, and I wanted to walk away. But you were not moving to satisfy yourself, and I felt sympathy for you. So, so I decided to help you! I swear my intention was nothing bad; I just thought I'd wake you and point it out, but you were like a dead sleeper! Then I dunno, I realised that I would have to do it myself, and then the next thing I know, I'm ... giving you a handjob."

Ben gazed at Kevin, not really able to believe what he was hearing. The pounding of déjà vu thrummed louder, and he felt the ground slipping from under his feet.

Kevin continued calmly, "Then, I thought I would just help you jerk off and get the hell outta there, but then, it... you... you kissed me!" he looked at Ben accusingly.

Ben gaped, jaw nearly falling to the floor, "I did WHAT?!"

"Yeah, you _kissed_ me. And after that, when you came,... you, y-you said you loved me," Kevin bit his lip, visiblly warm around the cheeks, looking a little flustered despite trying not to.

Ben gaped even more. Now, there was no denying the déjà vu. He could not believe _what_ he was hearing, from _whom _he was hearing... it was too much.

"No! N-no, you're joking! This is some engineered joke, right?!" Ben spoke shakily, hands pressed to the wall behind him as he felt his legs shake. He wanted to laugh at himself, he wanted to cry for Kevin, he wanted to scream for both.

Kevin growled dangerously as he lashed out, gripping Ben's shoulders in a bruising way, Ben wincing at the vice clasp, "Joke?! I'm _baring_ my heart out to you, and you think this is a _joke_?! You think I'm _happy _about this?! I _just_ wanted to help out my best friend but ended up falling in love with him, does that sound _funny _to you?!" the brute's anger climbed up several levels, he shook Ben a little by the shoulder, the brunette's head lolling back and forth at the jerky movement.

"Kevin stop, you're mistaken!" Ben attempted desperately, his eyes wild, "Y-you couldn't have done... but it was a dream!"

"It was _not a dream_, Ben!" Kevin hissed, looking straight into the terrified green eyes, "_I _was doing it to you! Real _me_! Why do you think I looked sleepless the next day?! I couldn't sleep! Not when I keep staring at my hand and I kept remembering what you said! What you did! How you responded! How you sounded!It was traumatising, and exhilarating at the same time! I was going insane!"

Ben felt so miserable, so very miserable. It was too obvious now. But he couldn't accept it, even if his logic told him that the dots were connected.

He looked sadly at Kevin, whispering, "No... it's.. it's a mistake...you must have been dreaming yourself..."

Kevin pulled back in determination, "I have proof, wait right here, don't move!" and with that the raven ran out of the room.

Ben was far too frozen to move anyway, and there was this large block of pain and guilt pining him to the ground, immobilising him. Kevin reappeared after a few minutes, something in his hand. He then put that hand out, shoving it towards Ben's face. Ben blinked at the empty yogurt cup in Kevin's hand. The brunette looked up at the raven for an explanation.

"This was my midnight snack that night! I took this from my trashcan in my bedroom just now," he twirled the cup in his fingers till the labelling faced Ben. Ben's shaken eyes took a few moments to focus on the label shoved into his face, and it took another few moments to register what it read.

"Holy shit...pineapple yogurt..."

"THATS RIGHT!" Kevin growled, slashing the air between them as he flung the cup into the further side of the room, "I'm sure that's what the kiss tasted like, wasn't it?!"

Ben's feet shook under him. This was so bad; he had been dreaming of Kanou-a, and it was actually Kevin?! It was Kevin whom he had been kissing, whom he told he loved, whose hand he had mindlessly fucked?!

So that was why it felt so real!

"_Oh no_... Kevin," Ben whined, feeling grievance pound him again, biting his lips.

Kevin lurched forward suddenly; his palms planting on the walls on either side of Ben's face, making Ben gasp and hold his breath, while Kevin breathed in shallow heaves; both hearts drumming furiously. Kevin peered at the prize of his feelings, unblinking chocolate smouldering into owlish jade.

"Tennyson, you were _half awake_; you could _clearly_ see me doing that to you, and yet you kissed me on _purpose_, you said _you loved me_! That got my heart in a twist, and the next thing I know, I'm ... it got me so bad that _I came!"_

Ben gaped, his jaw falling, "Y-you _WHAT?!_"

"Yeah, take pride in it! It's not every day someone can just do that to me!" Kevin growled angrily, "But, now I can't stop thinking about you, or what you said! Granted, it was in your sleep, but you still _said _it, and you were _looking at me!_ And you were smiling and...and I did it again last night too! That's two nocturnal hand-jobs in a row! I couldn't stop myself the second time!... And you needed me too!...And you were enjoying it... and saying stuff to me..." his voice broke and dissolved, his mind losing itself in a flash of reminiscence.

Ben licked his dry lips slowly, feeling more acidic guilt swirl in his stomach. As if he had swallowed a thousand chillies and liquid fire.

"Kevin, you are seriously mis-"

"Look, I don't wanna hear anything;... but just tell me _one_ thing, I need to know if you meant what you said or not! You _have_ to have meant it, you saw me, damnit! Tell me, did you mean it?" Kevin pressed closer, their noses almost brushing, his eyes whizzing frantically between both of Ben's, hungry for a positive answer, his breath warming Ben's face pleasantly, "Did you?! Do you actually love me? Was that why, before this happened, you have been staring at me, giving me these weird looks, touching my hand, appreciating me, was it? Was it?"

Ben froze, his eyes only able to keep gazing helplessly, his fists pressed against his own chest, like a terrified little girl cornered by a large handsome bully. Biceps flexed from either side of Ben as Kevin grit his teeth and frowned, "Tennyson! Answer me! _DO you love me or not?!"_

"NO I DON'T!"

Silence.

The frown fell clean off Kevin's face. As if it had been sliced off with a knife. The brown eyes lost their wild emotion. The clenched teeth slackened.

Ben's mouth, however, opened drawing in a short gasp, he was more in shock of how horribly he had said the already painful truth.

"N-no, that's not what I meant! I mean... actually that IS what I meant, but not in the rude way... I mean-" Ben stammered and stammered repeatedly in alarm, trying in vain to fix the wound he had inevitably caused on the raven's heart. Kevin's hand fell limps from the wall on Ben's sides as the raven took a step back, straightening up.

"_Why._.." a small whisper fell from thin lips, although his face now looked devoid of any emotion. His eyes were not even focused on Ben although it was directed at him.

Ben pressed forward, away from the wall, reaching out to Kevin to explain himself. Kevin took another step back, as if in a daze.

"Look Kevin, its all a big misunderstanding! I swear! I-I... remember I told you I was seeing a raven chick? Yeah it wasn't a chick! It was a guy, whom I met on the beach," Ben bit his lips, seeing it appropriate to keep Kanou-a's aquatic side and his twin-like property in the dark, "He, um, he kinda has the same black hair, same kinda skin and somewhat the same bodywork as you do! In my sleep, I saw him, I was half asleep so I thought you were him, I swear! I did not mean to tell you something that I shouldn't have! I'm so sorry, Kevin! Even those other time I kept staring at you, its 'cause you remind me of him, and I .. I'm so sorry, Kevin! So so so sorry!"

Kevin stepped back more, his face raised to the ceiling, "... _so...I was... just the prop_..."

"Kevin, I swear I didn't... it wasn't intentional, please, Kevin, you were not a prop; you ... I appreciate you helping me Kevin! But..."

"_You're taken_..." Kevin whispered, his lips barely moving as he stared up at the ceiling, feeling the gravity crush his heart into his stomach, "_I've been fantasising for nothing..._."

"Kevin, look, we can work this out, listen to me, Kevin, Kevin!" Ben spoke, reaching out more, wanting to hold the shoulders but fearing any touches would cause more trouble and problems. Ben was nearly in tears of the pain he had inflicted unintentionally on the one person who had known him best.

"_I'm an idiot_..." Kevin whispered again, lowering his face till he faced Ben, the sadness now engulfing the brown depth nearly killed Ben.

"Kevin, I-"

Kevin took his final step, before swivelling around and walking away in great speed. Ben gaped after him, hand outstretched helplessly, calling out faintly, "Kevin! Kevin, wait, Kevin! KEVIN!"

But the raven was already gone out his room and down the corridor. Ben winced as he distantly heard Kevin slam the door of his bedroom and the click of a lock.

Ben looked down at the floor, tears welling up in sadness and guilt.

_I'm sorry... so sorry..._

When the girls returned half an hour later, they were far too jovial to notice the pale-faced Kevin who refused to smile, or the red-eyed Ben who looked dejected. Neither boys ate dinner, but went to their own rooms. The girls were clueless.

o.o.o

Kevin sat up, scowling and hurting on the inside. That gypsy woman was right, heartbreak sucked balls. He lifted a hand to his heart and fisted the fabric of his shirt, shaking his head to try and remove the sour thoughts. He had never cried in years and years, yet now, he felt he wanted to burst like an overfilled balloon till he deflated all his sorrow completely.

As a kid, he was rejected by his family. In the streets, he was rejected by passersby. In the Null Void, save the person who freed him, he was rejected by freaks like him. And now, he was rejected by Ben, by love.

Groaning, he tried to ignore the violent rumbling of his ravenous stomach. Why did he have to be hungry at night?! Was this some sort of destiny for him? To always go for food and return after feeding on pleasure?!

He tried to satiate himself with the glass of water on the bedside table. Not that it helped. At all.

He waited till he could take no more. Quietly, cursing every part of him, he walked out of his room, not bothering to take the Silencer with him. He stiffly made past the brunette's room, not even letting the wind rustle into his ear lest he hear moans he knew would already be there.

Once downstairs, he nearly sighed as he found neatly-wrapped leftovers in the fridge that the lovely ladies had left for the two idiots in case they were hungry later. Within minutes, Kevin was hungrily chomping down his dinner, trying to drown his emotional depression with mouthful of delicious yumminess.

After that was over, he stood over the sink, with a tall glass of water. He was not in his right mind, so he didn't even notice himself put ice cubes in the water. Sipping at the chilled liquid, he appreciated how it ran down his oesophagus, providing physical soothing where nothing could be done about his torn heart.

Grumbling, he walked back up the stairs, sipping at the glass that was condensing droplets around his fist and ripping down his arm. Unfortunately, he had forgotten his little 'precaution' to avoid lingering near the brunette's room for more than half a milli second.

Kevin found himself rooted to the spot, freezing even more that the water in his hand.

_"Ah...unhhh...haaaaa...uugggghhhh"_

"Son of a fucking bitch..." he scowled, his teeth gnashing, his fist tightening around the glass in a death grip. He shook like a volcano indecisively. A few moments of pausing and he put out his hand and pushed open the door.

Walking into Ben's bedroom, he approached the bed, and stood over the writhing Ben, watching him squirm in pain, Kevin could not stop the heat the sight brought to his face in contrast to the cold in his heart and in his hand.

Kevin took a small breath and raised his hand... and jerked the glass forward.

"FUCK!" Ben woke it a screech as the biting coldness chewed on his unsuspecting face and hair, shoulder and chest. Blinking and shuddering he leaned on one hand and wiped at his face with the other. Looking to his left he saw Kevin stand at his bedside, a deadly glare on his fatally pissed face, one hand in his pocket, other in holding the empty frosted glass.

"K-Kevin...?" Ben shivered, half from the water chilling him, half from the glare burning him.

Kevin pointed his glass to Ben's torso, at which Ben looked down at himself and gaped at the hard-on poking shamelessly against his shorts.

Ben turned to look up at Kevin, but Kevin gave the final call.

"Fuck you. Go to hell."

Ben gazed in awe as the raven turned and walked out of the room, not even bothering to shut the door after him.

o.o.o

_Everywhere that I go, I see another memory_  
_ And all the places we used to know, They're always there to haunt me_  
_ I walk around and I feel so lost and lonely, _

_You're everything that I want, But you don't want me!_

_I, can't, turn this around,  
I keep running into walls that I can't break down,  
I said I just wander around  
With my eyes wide shut, because of you  
I'm a sleepwalker, walker, walker!  
I'm a sleepwalker, walker, walker!_

_...Let me out this dream..._

o.o.o

- End of Chapter –

* * *

**_Wow! I was so saaad for kevvy! WAAAAAH! Oh the angst! D:_**

**_But I liked the end tho hehe!_**

**_song featured: Sleepwalker by Adam Lambert! super befitting!_**

**_reviews pweeeeeeeeeeeeese ?_**


	12. All I want is you

**_hello yall! :D sorry for the later-than-usual update!_**

**_AND Yay! such awesome reviews! _**

**_:D Thankyou, dear guest Teardrop for your review! :D and I saw the image on deviant art, its so cute! :D i absolutely love the happy ben and coy kevin! :D although i thought ben's tail wud be usually green and kevins would be dark blue. but nonetheless, one cannot question change and creativity, can they? so i love it! absolutely love it!_**

**_Ok, so, many of my readers are now full of sympathy for my Kevin! Aw, you guys! And Teardrop, dont fret, pls do wait, I happen to hate sad endings too, so u can easily expect a pleasant turn of events! And about being so torturous on Kevin... if I made this a goody-goody fic with rainbows and sunshine and happiness all around, it wont be much of a thrill right?_**

**_Wink! _**

**_Angst-lovers, here I give you a treaty chapter! Angst-haters, here I give you pillows to throw at me. I also suggest you bite down on them if you are nice enuf to not fling them at me! :3 I love you guys so much!_**

**_Warning: story contains yaoi, boyslove, angst, and merman loving! :D_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any of Ben ten alien force. But I DO own Kanou-a and his family! ... god, they're all so fucking gorgeous in my head! (sparkly eyes)_**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

_Oh, its hard to love somebody,when there's no more love to give;_

_Oh, you took away my sunshine, now rain is all there is;_

_And it's easy to get lost, when you got nowhere left to go;_

_Oh, it's hard to let somebody...when all I want is;_

_All I want is YOU._

**Chapter twelve : All I want is you**

This time, Kevin _did_ manage to sleep last night.

And in the morning, he was not so nightmare-stuck. But, unfortunately, his sleep had been dissatisfying, and disturbed; he had been tossing and turning in a dreamless state of confusion. Although the sleep had quenched his body, it did nothing to ease his saddened mind that hung limp in his head.

He could not even cast his usual pessimistic remarks, or shoot smirks at the two girls. He could only stare tastelessly at his plate of breakfast pancakes, ones he would usually gobble the moment his eyes fell on it. Across from the table, his vision told him Ben was in a similar state, staring at his food with blank eyes rather than devour it.

Julie and Gwen suddenly noticed the chilling silence in the air; when they realised theirs were the only voices floating over the dining table, so they shut up, to finally notice the boys glum and mute.

Gwen and Julie cast each other worried and confused looks. Each ex-girlfriend then turned to her respective ex-boyfriend.

"Ben? You ok? You're awfully quite today?" Julie whispered sweetly at Ben, placing a slim hand on his.

"Kevin, you ok? Is something bothering you?" Gwen asked gently, her eyes on Kevin, her hand touching his shoulder.

The boys simultaneously looked up, but ended up staring at each other.

Brown eyes hardened in pained hatred.

Green eyes dulled in pained guilt.

Together, the boys mumbled while staring down at their food, their words in perfect synch as if rehearsed, "Its nothing. M' just not hungry, that's all."

o.o.o

Kanou-a looked out at the ocean, while sitting on the usual spot on the rock, and flipped his tail against the surface of the water, watching the pretty ripples that formed as a result. His magical senses suddenly sparked in alert, when he felt a brunette's presence far off.

Turning towards the abandoned sandy area of the beach, Kanou-a smiled; he watched Ben's figure, far away, climbing off the rocky wall, jumping to the ground and making his way towards him.

However, Kanou-a's smile fell, to be replaced by a look of worry when he saw the drastic lack of spring in the hunching brunette's steps, as he walked with his head drooping and his hands wringing nervously.

Ben had his eyes on the sand as he slowly approached Kanou-a, and then wordlessly sat beside him on the rock, and the whole while, Kanou-a's blue eyes patiently studied him. Ben looked out at the horizon, and then gave out a long, sad sigh. It nearly broke Kanou-a's heart. Lifting a pale hand, Kanou-a stroked Ben's shoulder, whispering, "Whats the matter, Kirby?"

Ben turned to look at him, surprising Kanou-a with his deep green eyes laced in supreme grief and guilt. It was a wonder to the merman how the _same_ set of jade eyes could look doe-like, at times irresistible, sometimes responsible, coy, sexual, and now, so grievened.

"Oh, Kanou-a," Ben sighed again as if his heart would break; "I messed up. Big time."

Kanou-a smiled pitiably, "If there's anyone who is 'messed up', as you humans say, then it's me. How have _you_ done anything wrong?"

Ben pushed out his lower lip and slumped sideways into Kanou-a, who instinctively wrapped his cool arms around the dry body, cuddling him into a consoling embrace.

"It's Kevin... I hurt his feelings. It's all a big mistake, but its happened and its all my fault!"

Ben sounded on the verge of tears he had refused to spill that morning after failed attempts of rekindling his casual friendship with the pissed-off raven. It was really a tough task for the sensitive male to hold his disappointment from sending waterfalls down his cheeks as if he were some girl. But girl or no girl, Ben had feelings, and he was hurt that he hurt his best friend.

"What from your part hurt Friend Kevin?" Kanou-a whispered. Having been thoroughly informed about how Ben met Kevin, how they became enemies, and then friends, Kanou-a knew how fragile the thin tendril of confused friendship between the two were.

"I... I indirectly,... well um, he's in love with me."

Kanou-a blinked at him in surprise, evidently not expecting to hear that at all.

Ben continued, "I unintentionally made him... _fall in... love with me_...," his voice dying as he spoke till it was only an exhalation that reached Kanou-a's ear.

Kanou-a smiled, nuzzling his face into the brown hair, "I wouldn't blame him, you _are_ extremely lovable..."

Ben looked up, making Kanou-a's lips brush on his forehead, "No, Kanou-a, it's not like that; it's 'cause of me, its a mistake and he's suffering..."

Ben proceeded to explain everything to the merman, starting from the twin-like similarity between the two ravens, to the disastrous consequences of a sexually-high night. Kanou-a looked on in amazement at the dastardly way the things unfolded.

"Well, if anything, the root of this unfortunate incident, is _me_," Kanou-a sighed, "It is because I ejaculate within you, that you remain aroused at night."

Ben looked at the merman curiously. Admittedly, despite the hurt and pain swallowing him from all sides, Ben had borne a very small fear, too. Which he voiced carefully and anxiously:

"Um, Kanou-a? Are... are you jealous, or angry, that Kevin touched me in the privates? And that I let him to do it?"

Kanou-a looked on, blue eyes such a sincere shade of indigo that Ben felt instantly eased of his fear.

"Kirby," the merman whispered, caressing Ben's cheek with a palm, "Firstly, I am quite sure its the aphrodisiac quality of my semen that caused this; you were not intentionally doing it at all, so I have no necessity to be jealous. Secondly, why must I be angry at Friend Kevin? He only wanted to help you, and that alone wins my admiration from him. But the fact he was rewarded by unfortunate results... is fate; something I cannot blame either. I can only be at peace with my Kirby, and try and find some consolation on how to remove the hurt from Friend Kevin."

Ben gaped at him, and then smiled in relief of the optimism that seemed to flow off of the merman. Snuggling closer to the soothing coolness of the pale skin, Ben mumbled, "Thanks, man. I was really worried whether I would have to deal with you all pouty and mad at me for kissing him and all."

"Hmm," Kanou-a nodded, "It would be silly of me; my love for you and your love for me is justified, steady and strong. I needn't worry about a kiss or two disrupting that. Especially when we have more grave problems, that is, on how to relieve Friend Kevin from misery. I do hate that I have caused that man such ache, even though I haven't met him. Quite unfortunate. But i bear no hatred to him. Kirby's friend is _my_ friend. If Kirby trusts kevin, then I do too."

Ben was still stumped and surprised that Kanou-a was so understanding and not in the least bitchy. He was calm about it, and it made Ben's sense calm too.

Ben shrugged, "If you wonder what he's like to meet, it'll be like looking in the mirror for you; only, his eyes are brown, his face is always bad-ass, his hair is shorter, and he almost always smirks... Not any more though," Ben sighed, drawing circles on the pale skin with an idle finger.

The heavy block of guilt on Ben's chest was starting to make itself known. Ben winced, not liking it at all. This was pretty much the same feeling he had when he had to put an eleven year old mutated Osmosian in the Null Void years ago. And at that time, he was only ten, yet he had felt horrible. But this time, the painful guilt had risen intimidatingly on stilts.

"Kirby," the soft voice from above Ben's head floated into the younger male's ear, soothing him out of the bitter memories of wrestling a half-Tetramand-half-human Kevin amidst rubble as a ten year old Gwen and a worried Max watched them helplessly.

"What should I do, Kanou-a? He is so mad at me, and I don't like it at all; he's been my close friend despite our bad past, and now he hates me," Ben groaned. Kanou-a patted the tan boy, "There, there, I suppose you can try and talk to him about it?"

"He won't listen. He won't look at me, he hisses when I talk to him, he grumbles if I happen to brush my shoulder with his arm, ... and when I try to talk to him, he leaves."

Kanou-a blinked, and shook his head, "Here too, I understand him; having one's heart broken doesn't sound pleasant. It is not a wonder he isolates from you, for he acknowledges that you are mine, and his pride doesn't want to beg or acquire someone that does not like him the same way he does. Am I right?"

Ben literally gaped, to a point Kanou-a almost giggled despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Whuh-whuh-how'd you know that? You sound like you know Kevin a lot!"

"Well, I guessed. Its only obvious, from the way you have frequently described his behaviours to me, isn't it only natural he would think that way?"

Ben smiled in awe and appreciation, and then slumped sadly again. He was finding it difficult to remain happy without suddenly falling in sadness. Curling his arms around the merman, Ben whispered, "Yeah. I'm glad you understand him, and me. I just wish he could too. I haven't even told him you're a merman, or that you look like his carbon copy! I figured it would worsen stuff."

Kanou-a nodded, "Aptly. But I insist that you try to talk to him, it will help."

Ben nodded too, sighing into the warm yet cool hug. The merman's tail slowly wagging in the water, causing the sooth sounds that made Ben feel better.

o.o.o

Veremnos placed the equipment in his hand aside, after having signed the last of the deal in the screen before him. Just as he reached over to bring the next document, the door slid open and C-Mexx came flying in.

"Commander!" his voice sounded urgent and even excited. Which was a surprise for he was never so at all.

Veremnos turned and bestowed an annoyed glare at his right-hand-in-command, "What is it?!"

The redhead waved the touch screen clipboard, "The energy blip we saw the other day! I have detected it! The numerical figures of its intensity are mindblowing!"

Veremnos got up from his seat, the redhead quickly handed him the clipboard. The older's face glowed in the bluish aura of the screen, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at the numbers zooming across the screen and the data the software has analysed of the energy.

"Marvellous!" he gasped, looking up to meet C-Mexx's own eyes, "To the radar! Now!"

C-Mexx nodded, spinning on his heels as the Commander followed him swiftly. On the way to the radar room, the Commander asked, "Do you have visuals of the source?"

"Yes, but I haven't looked into them for I wished to inform you first."

Once they managed to run into the radar room, C-Mexx sat into the main seat and typed away, while the Commander sat beside him, waiting for the visuals. Soon, the screen popped a window that showed footage from one of the many hidden cameras on the sides of the invisible ship. The footage showed an aerial view of the ocean near the beach, and C-Mexx ran his hand along the screen to adjust the view and then put his fingers to the zooming tool, zeroing in on the abandoned area of the beach shore. The radar icon on the corner beeped encouragingly to let them know that they were proceeding towards the right way.

The commander and his right-hand-in-command stared at the screen that showed a beautiful merman who sat calmly at the shore, on a rock.

The two blinked curiously.

"_That_ is the source of the power?" the commander raised a fragile eyebrow.

The other man nodded, "Absolutely."

"Resembles that brutish Osmosian with Ben Tennyson, doesn't it?"

"Yes. But its not the Osmosian as per the data. Its a purely aquatic amphibian."

Their eyes moved sideways to catch all the data written in blue neon light. Their eyes widened as the power intensity, regeneration ability and several other attributes of the energy topped the charts.

"Well well well," the commander straightened from his hunch over the screen, sitting back in his chair with an evil smirk, eyes on the merman, "This is perfect! Absolutely perfect! This being shows _more_ amount of trappable energy than the manna of an Anodite!" he grinned showing his full set of sharp teeth as he fisted his fingers in renewed vigour, "With _that_ much amount of power, we can rule the _whole_ Universe! He is a living energy-mine, C-Mexx; if we have him, we would not even need to capture Ben Tennyson and forcibly extract his Omnitrix! We will not only be innumerably rich, but also unbelievably powerful. The data signifies that this is raw energy, but I am very much sure that once modified and channelled, it will be unstoppable! WE will be unstoppable!"

The alien's eyes shone in greedily, and C-Mexx mirrored it, "Yes, Commander; not to mention this is a living source, therefore with a good amount of special experiments, we can transform it into an _eternally inexhaustible _one. Maybe after we obtain this power, we can use it to get the Omnitrix and sell it to the highest bidder as we intended."

"Yes, exactly," Veremnos gazed slyly at the merman on the screen. "This is a favourable outcome. With that aquatic being in our clutches, _we can_ _do anything_, _threaten anyone_, even the _great and feared Vilgax! _Hmmph, he would be _nothing_ once we obtain this power! The Universe will be under _our_ fingers!"

C-Mexx smirked at the screen too, his eyes shimmering in the same evil greed. The two of them had their alien hearts racing in excitement of the discovery. The reason why they hadn't discovered Kanou-a before was because he had not matured enough for his powers to carry into the detectors of the radar. And not to mention the water of the ocean had capability to hide magical activity and existence.

Their power-override suddenly froze when there came movement from the screen. They peered carefully, and reeled back in surprise to see a sad Ben walk up to the merman.

"Ben Tennyson?! He is in acquaintance with the aquatic humanoid?" the commander raised an eyebrow.

They watched as Ben came over and sat beside the merman, a conversation starting between them. After about a moment, Ben moved sideways and the merman hugged him calmly as the brunette seemed to be speaking of something sad and long.

"Oh, they are comrades," C-Mexx observed.

Then, Ben turned and looked at the merman who smiled, and they kissed lovingly, the merman stroking Ben's spine in consolation as the brunette held him closer.

"Oh!" the two aliens whispered in awe.

C-Mexx turned to look at his leader, only to see Veremnos sit back. A chuckle formed from the latter, surprising the redhead. And then Veremnos burst into evil laughter, making C-Mexx confused.

"Commander?"

"This is just getting more and more _perfect!_ I doubt this could get _any better!_" the alien evily growled with a nasty grin. He turned to his companion and grabbed him by the shoulders, ivory eyes flashing, "Don't you see, C-Mexx? We have _dual_ benefits!"

C-Mexx's face suddenly showed realisation of the plan his commander was making in his head. C-Mexx smirked, "Dual. Yes, I see."

Veremnos released him and together they grinned at the scene of Ben and Kanou-a now cuddling softly and lovingly.

"We catch two preys with one trap."

o.o.o

Kevin flung a rock at the water dully.

He was sitting on one of the wooden docks. It was evening and the sun's rays were starting to recede, casting long shadows everywhere. There was no one around, maybe down at the shore a few couples walked romantically hand-in-hand. Kevin bit his tongue from cussing loudly for he knew it was of no use to swear at unaware passersby.

Kevin sighed deeply. That fortune teller was never so right; it hurt. So badly hurt. To think he had been straight all this while with hidden feelings for a cute brunette, and suddenly he was twisted into a queer. Not that he had attractions to guys, it was just and only Ben. And he would have had his way, as he did with every girl who hit on him or he hit on, given his charming looks and suave flirt-skills.

The problem was that it was _Ben._ His frenemy best friend. And also someone who's already taken by another guy.

Kevin had always been hurt by people.

As a little emo kid, his mom and dad were good to him, and never let him be sad. After his dad died and that new guy walked into his mom's life, things had changed. The guy hated him, for being a 'freak'. But his mom always called him 'special' rather than a 'freak'. Soon, the fucking dickhead of a stepdad had twisted his mom's mind and slowly made her hate him too, made her wipe her love for her own son, and see him as an incurable freak, a diseased burden, an ill-omen. And before his tender childish mind could register it, both the adults had thrown him out to the streets to fend for himself; they didn't need a sociopath freak for a son, for she was pregnant with the guy's child, and it would bring them a good, _human_ kid. Alone abandoned, at first, Kevin had cried his eyes out in silent confusion and grief of why he was so hated although he had only loved his parents and tried to be good to _that_ guy. He cried, sitting alone in alleyways, being watched by paedophile teenagers grinning at him, but not nearing him because he let out weird electric sparks every time a tear rolled down his cheeks, marking him a freak in their eyes too. His tears had only lasted for two or three days, until his mind hardened and turned into a black puddle of tar. In those long session of sobbing, he had completely dried out his eyes, and vowed to never cry again. Never let anyone into his heart to be hurt. Never to love anyone. Never to trust anyone. And he even had thought of killing that guy who was his stepdad, but realised that fate had already done it for him; the news on the TVs in the window of a shop had showed the dead bodies of a man and a pregnant woman identified as Kevin's parents, from a car accident. And he had laughed. Uproariously and crackling, he laughed till his face hurt and walked away without a care, walked away shrugging at the news that did not bother him at all. With no one to supervise him as a child of growing capabilities, Kevin thus became a vagabond, a street rat, a thief, a murderer, a survivor, and once, nearly lost his virginity to a paedophile landlord but managed to escape by scamming him in time, with money that lasted him till he met...

"Tennyson," he groaned, his stomach clenching at the name.

And after being thrown in the Null Void, losing his mutation, escaping thanks to a generous alien comrade, and then doing a lot of thinking, he had decided that although his torn heart would never be humanly loving again, he could at least be a good guy and have friends. After all, all the bashing and fighting was getting boring anyway. He had never thought he would return to earth, or to Ben Tennyson of all goddamn people. Not that he had minded; since Gwen had grown hot and beautiful, he didn't mind at all.

But he hadn't ever thought he would end up like this, sitting on a dock, sighing, throwing rocks idly at the water as he watched the dullening sky, pining away for Ben, heartbroken.

Folding his hands over his folded knees, Kevin rested his chin on them, letting the salty scent of the ocean fill his nostrils, and the soothing breeze almost patting him on the back as it ran across the air, hair rustling slowly.

His thoughts went more into Ben. Then, into his own life. Into his only failure. Kevin had always obtained what he had wanted. And Ben was the only thing he had failed to get. Or steal. Not that he couldn't, but why should he steal Ben from another guy, if Ben didn't want him? If Ben didn't want him, them he didn't deserve Kevin's love, right?

It hurt. It damn hurt, it did. To think of Ben. To slowly let tempting what-if's flutter into his restricting mind, to imagine Ben and himself laughing, to imagine curling an arm around that petite shoulder, to imagine holding that small face that looked up in adoration, to imagine the feel of full lips that could bruise and nip like a kitten, to imagine...

But Ben didn't want him. Kevin had not caught his attention. No, there was another hotter guy out there, who beat him to it.

Kevin felt alerted to feel a slight crescent burning in eyes. Even as he watched the horizon with half lidded eyes, his vision blurred, the sunlight blemishing in sparkling dots and blotches. Everything went blurred as if a film of water had barred his eyes, and then it struck him only when a single drop of hot tear fell out the corner of his brimming eyes.

"Chhehh," he sat up, stretching out his legs, pressing the back of his hand to his right eye and roughly rubbing the unintended tears away. He had never cried. Only _twice_, one was when his dad died, and another was when he was abandoned by his mom whom he loved.

_How is this any different? Someone, whom you loved, had yet again abandoned you! Cry for all it takes! You're useless and unwanted! You got the looks but you don't got the heart it takes to love someone, that's why Ben didn't chose you over some other guy! You have only insulted him, fought with him, made him angry; how can he ever love YOU?! So, cry, 'cause you failed! Cry, cry, cry!_

"Urgh!" he growled, violently rubbing at his eyes as if to gauge the whole set out, "I'm not going to cry over some jerk! There's plenty of fish in the sea, and plenty of cute male idiots who'll wait in queues just to reach my bed, if I hit on them! I don't have to pine off for some goddamn son of a ..."

He forze as he was blanching in realisation that there were plenty of fish in the sea, yes, but there was only ONE Ben.

Even as he spoke to himself, his mind only showed a smiling Ben, a laughing Ben, a growling Ben, a frowning Ben, a its-hero-time Ben, a sad Ben, a happy Ben...a loving Ben whom he had only seen for two nights as he jerked him off...

Kevin fell back, "This is insane..." As he lay on the dock, staring up at the darkening sky, he felt more burning sensations in his eyes and his hands flew to grip the top of his head as he frowned, eyes scrunched tight, tears furiously flowing the corners to drip into his hairline and the sides of his ears.

_I just wanna die... it'll stop this misery... I can't keep living like this... it hurts, it hurts more than it hurts to mutate, it hurts more than it hurts to be hit during fights... this is my soul in pain not my body... I can't control this... maybe I should just drown a slow painful death... theres plenty of water here anyway,... maybe I could just die without much effort?_

_"...__because I see a good end to this, Kevin; I see a happy ending; for I see smile, waves of happiness,... all after your depressing time. You must hold on till then, and not let yourself be swept off in wild thoughts__...__"_

The voice of the gypsy floated into his decaying mind in the way how strums of a heavenly harp revives a pitiably torn soul.

Lying on the dock, Kevin frowned at the sky with dry eyes. "The bitch is right! I'm not going to kill myself just 'cause Ben doesn't love me back! I got things I wanna accomplish in life, I'm not just going to throw my life off the shore! I've been through worse and at a very small age, so I can go through this fucking depression too! I dunno what 'good ending' she talked about, but if its good, then I'm staying on earth! Sorry angels and demons, but _this guy_ is staying on earth till he hits nineties! You hear me?! IM NOT GOING-TO-DIE!"

Sitting up in a huff, he scowled angrily, hands fisting to hit something or anything. He grit his teeth, muscles aching to relieve his anger through brute violence.

Just when he had raised his fist to hit one of the unsuspecting wooden stumps on the dock, his ears caught steps of movement, and a small voice spoke from behind him.

"K-Kevin? What're you doing out here, alone?"

Adrenaline rushed into all parts of his body as his mind easily recognised Ben's voice.

Without turning, he got up, acidly wondering how long the sick idiot had been watching him, and as he dusted his knees and back, he hoped that Ben hadn't seen his tears. His pride had suffered enough from the confession, and then the rejection. And now this?!

Growling, Kevin turned and walked past the brunette as if the latter was invisible. Ben just watched him with awaiting eyes but he gaped when Kevin ignored him and walked away.

"K-Kevin! Wait, wh -"

"What am I doing out here alone?" Kevin stopped his walk, his voice hissed dangerously, as he remained with his back to Ben, "Staying away from you, thats what I'm doing. Hope that answers Your Highness' doubt? And what do you care a flying fuck about _me_?" he looked over his shoulder, "I'm sure you're busy being fucked by your boyfriend vampire."

Ben's hand flew to the new bright hickey on his neck, which Kanou-a promised would heal in an hour.

Kevin walked away with a feral air, Ben didn't even dare speak.

o.o.o

Gwen and Julie gaped at the amount of food Kevin was holding as he walked upstairs for the night.

"Kevin, whats all that food for?! Are you housing some animal in your bedroom?!" Gwen asked in awe.

"None of your _goddamn_..." he started his reply, but when Gwen frowned at him, he changed his words, "... urgh, it's for midnight snacking!" Kevin growled as he walked up the stairs. The only one who knew the true motive was Ben, who sat at the counter, watching from the corner, and gulped in his orange juice, not even enjoying its cheerful bright citrusy-ness.

"Midnight snacking?! Can't you just come downstairs instead of taking the whole fridge with you?!"

"It's only a couple of drinks, a tuna sandwich, two bags of chips and a yogurt!" He then paused, and then flung the memorable pineapple yogurt to a confused Julie who caught it nimbly, and the raven male turned to the Anodite, "Ok, one item down! Happy _now_, you bitch?!" he growled at Gwen.

Gwen opened her mouth, "Kevin! You better mind your -"

"Good FUCKING night."

The girls watched with opened mouths as Kevin went up the stairs and disappeared. Ben only shook his head looking at the countertop. He was the only one who understood; Kevin knew that he would be hungry at night and that would cause him to venture out of his room. Hewanted to make sure he didn't fall into another temptation of 'helping' Ben's 'nocturnal condition'.

Ben wanted to tell Kevin that this night he would not be hard, (Kanou-a was careful to not come till he had pulled out of Ben) but it was not like Kevin would listen, anyway.

Julie turned to see Ben wincing in pain, clutching his head in desperation, hunched in his seat at the counter, elbows on the marble top. She blinked at the sad sight and nudged Gwen without taking her eyes off the brunette. A frowning Gwen turned to Julie and her scowl fell as did her hands from her hips. Gwen followed Julie's gaze and saw Ben sigh sadly to himself in pure guilt.

"Ben?"

The said brunette looked up in alarm, to find two female eyes blinking at him. He blinked back, and attempted a poorly-done fake smile, "H-Hey. Yeah?"

The two continued to look at them dumbly.

"Why do you look so pale, Ben?" Gwen asked. Julie joined with her soft voice, "Oh my god, does it have something to do with Kevin? The two of you are not even talking to each other!" she turned to Gwen who nodded.

"Yeah, I noticed it too," she looked concerned at Ben, "What's wrong with the two of you guys?!"

"Look, Gwen," Ben sighed running his fingers through his hair in exasperation, "Its us guys stuff. Just another fight, that's all!"

Gwen and Julie folded their hands over their chests, simultaneously, "So what's it _this_ time? Cars? Megan fox? Smoothies? Who can do a better back flip? Who won the latest Sumo Slammer? Last time the two of you nearly stripped all the hair off each other's heads fighting over who has the most WWE cards! Seriously, grow up, Ben! All you two ever -"

"SHUT UP!" Ben shouted angrily, slamming his hands on the counter-top, the heat of pain that shot up his arm only fuelled him to snap more, "_Stop_ considering me and Kevin as _kids!_ We're _teens!_ I'm sixteen, he's seventeen! You think _cards_ and _cars_ are the _only things_ that happen in our lives?! The two of you _bitches_ are not our mommies, you understand?! So _shut up_, and _stay_ out of it, before Humungasaur proves my point _literally!_"

Gwen and Julie paled as white as ghosts as Ben huffed at them, his eyes were wide and scary, he looked wild and dangerous. A few moments later, Julie spoke softly, "B-Ben... we only want to help..."

She sounded so sweet and adorable, that Ben felt his face heat in more guilt, and shame. His face transforming from superb anger to shamed repentance, he looked like he was on the verge of helpless tears as he slumped down in his seat and moaned, "Girls, I'm sorry, I just... I shouldn't have talked like that..." his head fell on the counter as he sighed sadly. Immediately the girls were at his side, Gwen (still half shocked at the outburst) patting his back, and Julie hugged him sisterly, "Its ok, Ben, we shouldn't have been nosy either. But we really wanna know what's bothering you."

"If we can help, then you can have whatever problem solved," Gwen added.

Ben sighed sitting up, running his hands down his face, "Look, its between Kevin and me; we're having some friendship issues and... pulling you girls in is not going to make it any better. I doubt you girls will manage to find a solution, and maybe you might even regret knowing it in the first place!"

The two ladies raised an eyebrow each, "But Ben - "

"Please," Ben got up, and turned away. He paused and spun on his heels to look at them apologetically and even gave them a weak but appreciative smile, "Thanks for the concerns; you are like sisters to me and I get it that you wanna help. But this is something Kevin and I can solve ourselves," and then he looked at the floor and added in a mumble which the girls caught, "...that is, if he ever talks to me again..."

The girls looked on as Ben walked to the stairs.

"G'night Gwen, Julie. I'm gonna hit the sack, ... really tired, yeah."

The two nodded. "G'nite, Ben."

"Sleep tight, Ben."

- End of chapter -

* * *

**_:( oh the angst seriously! Man, I hate this heartbreak crap. But its a part of the story so yeah cant change that._**

**_Ok, the past about kevin, as sad as it is, its not the original way Man of Action made kevins past; as per the alien force and ultimate alien series, Kevin does have a mom and a stepdad who cares about him. I just twisted it up and drowned the past in black sadness. Sorry kevvy! :D but I think being orphan gives more freedom for me to make Kevin a vagabond intergalactic weapons dealer and all that stuff you know?_**

**_im sure many of you thought kanoua woud beat kevin up for touching ben, or be mad at ben for letting him; but haha! my kanoua is understanding and loving. :D_**

**_ok and the song for those who dunno, is Hard To Love Somebody by Arlissa and Nas. kinda cool to listen to. i dunno if the rest of teh lyrics makes sense with his story, but the part i mentioned above makes sense with kevin's state of mind yeah?... hehe i just love it whn my stories synch with some songs beautifully._**

**_I hope you guys are done flinging the pillows at me. (grabs one) imma hit the sack too...yaaaawn._**

**_Oh yeah, reviews are gold, man! :D pls do! :D_**


	13. Revealed and taken

**_s'up ppl! :D_**

**_Thanks for the lovely lovely reviews! _**

**_And here, some excitement (besides heartbreaks and sex) happens! Yay! And I just realised my story is so disproportionate, I mean, the start of this story was light and fun; then it got all kissy and smutty; then its all dark in angst. Now its proceeding to action! :D mygoodness! :D _**

**_Warning : yaoi/ boyslove/ mermen/ angst/ stuff yeah. maybe eve a little OOC ? dunno. :)_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own ben ten alien force or any of the preceding or succeeding series. (quite disappointed with Omniverse though; seriously, what the HELL happened to kevin ?! He looks like a 60year old drunkard! Ew!)_**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**Chapter thirteen : Revealed and Taken **

Kevin yawned widely, pushing off the crumbly, empty packet of chips away from his stomach. Flinging his legs off the edge of the bed, he sat up, and stretched. Looking around, he saw the remnants of his midnight-snacking littering the floor and the bed, and he sighed.

In about a minute, Kevin had cleared it all up, dumping all the wrappers and covers into the trashcan of his room.

And he went into the in-built bathroom for morning toilette and a shower.

An hour later, he walked out, wearing only knee-length jeans shorts that hung low on his sculpted waist. Bare-chested and with a small canary-yellow towel draped over his head that he rubbed against his wet hair, Kevin sighed again.

He looked up, and froze.

He had not _even in the least_ expected _BEN _to be standing there, in his bedroom, holding a tray of breakfast.

"Huh?" Kevin muttered before he could stop himself. They looked at each other mutely, Ben's sparkling hopeful eyes although fixated in Kevin's face, could not help be attentive to the fair body below the neck, noticing the manner water droplets ran streaks down the firm muscles just like Kanou-a's, and the biceps that seemed to flex as the raven fisted his lowered hands at his sides, the towel dropping from the head to rest around his neck.

Blushing, Ben lowered his eyes to the tray instead; being tongue-tied, and suddenly feeling the burn of Kevin's cold glare.

"How'd you get in?" Kevin's voice demanded with a low unfeeling tone.

Ben remained looking down as he answered stammering against his will, "Y-You t-taught me how to pick locks, remember?"

A growl ensued, and Kevin hissed back, "To use them tricks back on _me?_"

"Um, sorry, but I know you won't let me in, so..." Ben's voice trailed away. Kevin stood frozen and frowning, biting his lip.

Ben looked up, there was that adorable hope in his green eyes again, and a sadistic want emerged in Kevin to shatter that hope and watch Ben dissolve in tears. But another side to him, one that loved Ben, refused to comply. So he remained standing there, irritated eyes wrought on the brunette.

"I, um, brought you breakfast," Ben spoke, putting a little cheer into his voice and a nervous smile in his face, showing out the tray to signify its presence.

"Wasted your time," Kevin growled, "I'm not going to touch that."

Kevin's eyes roamed over the food Ben had chosen, and his Osmosian stomach shifted inside him with longing when he realised Ben had good-naturedly picked all his favourites.

Ben smiled sadly, "Yeah, sure. So, I'm just going to..." he placed the tray on the bedside table, "... keep it here, in case you change your mind."

Kevin looked away, scowling and muttering. He waited for Ben to walk away or move, but Ben remained looking at him hopefully as if he was hesitating to speak.

"Just say what you wanna say and get out, Tennyson!" Kevin hissed at the floor. He noticed Ben fidgeting and rubbing the back of his brunette head in anxiety.

"K-Kevin, uh, I _just _wanna talk - "

"Yeah but I don't, so good bye and get lost!"

"Wait! Hear me out, please!" Ben whined, "You have to let me explain, Kevin! Look, I didn't - "

"If this is about you and your boyfriend, I don't give a rat's ass about it!" Kevin snapped angrily. It was noticeable, in contrast to Kevin's comment, how the topic got him riled up, and that made Ben feel warm and at the same time more guilty.

Ben gave a sigh, and tried again, "Look, Kevin, please, you have to listen; I just wanna -"

"Oh, I get it," Kevin growled sarcastically, "You wanna sign a contract with me that says I should give you a handjob every night, huh? What's the matter, did you suffer last night 'cause no one came to treat you?"

Ben sighed heavily at the thick and dark sarcasm dripping from the raven's voice as it was on his pale face. Ben shook his head, "I didn't ... I mean I wasn't hard last night." _Kanou-a made sure that I didn't, thankfully._

"Hmph, guess your boyfriend's losing his touch," Kevin scoffed looking away.

Ben recoiled, and whined, "Kevin, its not how you think it is; the reason I get hard every night is 'cause Kan - "

"STOP. DON'T tell me his name, or where he lives, or anything about him in a way I can reach him!" Kevin interrupted Ben angrily.

Ben raised an eyebrow, "W-why not?"

"...'C-cause if I know about him," his voice dropped a few decibels, "The part of me that still wants you will sleep-kill the guy. I might not even know it, but I might get up in my sleep and hunt him down and then come back with his decapitated head as a trophy. You _want_ that?!"

Ben recoiled in awe, "Um, Kevin, he is not that easy to find uh, he's-he's special and ..."

"If he's so_ special,_ then why don't you go please him rather than waste your time talking to _me_?!"

"That's 'cause your my _best friend_ and I can't go on seeing you hurting like this, especially 'cause of _me_!"

"Well, too bad 'cause it's done and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"Yes, there _is_ something I can do about it!" Ben insisted, leaning out and animatedly using his hands to prove his point, "We can talk this through, Kevin! You don't have to keep hating me! _I_ seriously do not hate you! I -"

"Oh just _shut up_, I don't want your sympathy! I'm not some lovesick jerk, you get me?! I don't need your pity to live with!" Kevin scoffed coldly, his eyes narrowed and dark in pain. It stabbed Ben's chest and he felt terrible.

"It's not sympathy or pity, Kevin; its concern! I am worried about you! I didn't mean any of this to happen, and I never would wanna hurt you intentionally!"

"Oh, sure, sure," Kevin looked away, scoffing sarcastically. Ben sighed, his hands shaking at the downward spiral his efforts were draining to.

"Kevin... I hate this; I hate this bad situation, of you not talking to me! I just wanna go back to how we were, when we friends, and when we used to hang out like buddies, laughing and enjoying our time other than when we would be beating the lights out of aliens..._together!_ I want us to be casual again! I want us to be best friends again!"

Kevin glared at the desperate tone in Ben's voice and the pure concern wrought across his cherubic features. Kevin gave a guttural growl, "A little too late for that, don't you think?"

"No, its not. We can work this out, if you would just listen to me!" he sighed, head drooping, "You hate me 'cause you love me. Man, this is worse and more painful than it was years ago when we were enemies! At least then, we could vent out our anger by hitting each other!" he sighed softly.

Kevin's voice carried through the air like a sharp knife, "Oh, so now you wanna _hit_ me like the old times, eh?! Fine then, _hit me! Go on!_ Take out all your frustration on _me_ then!_" _he stepped forward once threateningly, "But if you do, I _will_ hit you back, love or no love! And then I'll _kill myself_ for doing it."

Ben backed that one step, unable to believe how this conversation was wavering. "N-nnhh, I have no frustration I want to hit someone about! _You_ need to calm down! And _listen_ to me! I have to tell you about Kan-"

"Shut up! I said I _don't_ wanna hear his name! I know it rhymes with mine, 'cause it fucking tricked me those two nights when I foolishly thought you were saying _my_ name!" he looked away, seething in pure hatred. "It's done enough damage, so shut up before it gets worse!"

Ben closed his mouth. He trembled in indecision, as he whispered, his eyes sparkling sadly, "Kevin, please, then! I want to be your friend again! You were not the only sociopath as a kid, I was a loner too! Even when we were enemies, at least I felt I had someone of my age and gender for me to spend time with! And when we became friends for the first time in five years, I was really happy that I had someone I could confide in! But, now..." he paused sadly, "I just want things the way it was! Please, I'll do anything you want! Tell me, I'll agree to anything! Just to fix this bad air! Please! Anything! We can hang out, I can treat you by washing your car for a week, I'll help you, I'll let you humiliate me, I'll be your punching bag if it takes! What do you want? Tell me! Anything!"

Kevin looked up from his gaze on the floor. His eyes pinned Ben with a long narrow-eyed stare, as the silky voice lethally laced the air, "_Anything_, huh? You wanna know what _I want_?"

Ben froze as Kevin took a step forward, his naked abdominal muscles rippling as he obviously was resisting the urge to jump on Ben, "I'll tell you what I want. I want to _kiss_ you," another step forward, "I want to _hold_ you, _embrace_ you, _feel_ you against me and _only_ me," another step taken, his chocolate velvet eyes shone in pure lust, "I want to _touch_ you, maybe down there again," his eyes wandered below Ben's waist and then back up to his terrified face inches away from his own, "Or maybe I even want you to touch _me_ back; I might even want to..." he looked away and then turned back to Ben, his eyes narrowing and his voice turned to a hiss, "... I might even want to _have sex_ with you," he leaned over; staring right into the large froze green eyes above the red-tainted cheeks, their noses almost touching, "I want to _love_ you endlessly, and I want _you_ to love _me_ endlessly. That's what I want. Can you do that? _Can_ you? CAN YOU?!"

Ben jumped at the sharp rise in Kevin's voice that had been smooth at the start of his wish-list. The seductive scent of fresh shower slipped up Ben's nose. Ben trembled as he answered, gulping at the inch's breadth between their bodies, "K-Kevin, I-"

"Lemme answer _for_ you," Kevin straightened up, looking down nose at the smaller teen, "No, you CAN'T. You _won't_. Not when you already have a boyfriend." Kevin stepped back several steps, easily re-establishing the previous distance that had been between them. "You can't grant any of those whims 'cause you're in love with someone else! And you know what? _I don't want you either_, 'cause Kevin Levin does not beg for love! He only gets love, or loses it, but_ never_ begs for it!"

Ben was feeling his red face burn more to see Kevin growl, "And _why_ would you ever wanna love _me_?! I only hurt you, I only insulted you, I never took you seriously! And _oh_, and why would _Kevin Levin's love_ be of any significance?" he pretended to be Ben, pressing his hands to either cheeks of his face like a girl as a direct hit at Ben's dignity, "Oh, Kevin Levin _only wants sex_, and _bodily exhilaration_! Kevin Levin has _no heart_ to love someone, Kevin Levin has _no feelings_ to be hurt, Kevin Levin is _cold _and _unfeeling_ through and through, made of rock _inside out,_ unloving and unloved! Bada-bing bada-boom! _That's_ what he is," he lowered his hands being himself again, to glare at Ben, "Isn't it?!"

"NO!" Ben defended in grief, making Kevin admittedly surprised but he didn't show it on his pale face. He only stared at Ben, whose body was shaking with effort to keep back his tears, as he answered in a high pitched lilting voice, "You're _wrong!_ Kevin Levin is _not_ made of solid rock! He is like the metal he adsorbs! The metal and texture you adsorb only coat your skin, and don't go into you flesh and bones, do they?! Kevin Levin is like that! His bad-ass exterior and 'unfeeling' face-mask is _all_ just on _the surface_, while inside, he DOES have a heart, he can love anyone, he can be hurt, as powerfully as he can hurt others!" Ben scowled sadly at the narrow-eyed raven who continued to glare at him as his muscular chest heaved. "And now, Kevin, you're hurting _me!_ Can't you just accept me as a friend?! I admit it, I'm sorry, that I can't love you 'cause I love someone else, but that doesn't mean I _hate_ you! 'Cause I can't! You're one of those few people that I care a lot about! Why can't you just be friends with me?! Why are you staying away from me, isolating from me, hating me?!"

Kevin's fingers dug crescents into his skin as he fisted his hands tighter; feeling pain, pain, and _more_ pain tear through and through him, watching Ben's flushed face look desperate, hurt and sad. The side to Kevin who loved Ben was not really happy to see that Ben was hurting too.

Letting out a huff of warm breath, he answered wildly and loudly, "I _can't_ be _friends_ with you, Ben! I _need to stay away_ from you 'cause..." his voice smoothened and his face softened helplessly into something Ben recognised as sincere love, "...every time I look at you," his eyes moved away, eyelids closing as if to not risk looking at Ben, "I can't help wish you were mine, and mine alone."

Ben paused, feeling terrible. Horrible. His hands twitched at his either sides, itching to give the hurting raven a long-needed hug.

"Kevin..."

"Get out."

Ben recoiled, as Kevin turned away, with his back to Ben, one fist trembling at his side, other obviously holding the pulsing forehead of his lowered head, "I said, _get out_ of my fricking bedroom, Tennyson."

Ben gaped, raising a hand to protest, but Kevin seemed to have eyes on the back of his head, "Don't you even _dare_ come near me. Just get out."

Ben sighed seeing that the conversation having already peaked its intensity a few seconds ago , had now dropped dead and useless; there was no point in prolonging this.

Ben smiled sadly at the muscular and smooth back, watching the ridge along the spine and the manner the tight skin glistened in sweat of effort and emotions.

"Ok, I'm leaving then. I know you won't come downstairs for breakfast 'cause I'll be there too, so um,... its kinda cool I brought the tray, right?"

Of course, Kevin didn't even respond to that. Ben hadn't expected a reply anyway.

Nodding to himself, Ben walked away, and then paused, "Kevin, if you wanna talk later then-"

"JUST GET OUT!" came the terrifying bellow, as Kevin's fist smashed into the wall in front of him, making his fist go right through it. Ben froze seeing that could have easily been his face under the raw power. Even with a wrist full of strong dangerous aliens, Ben felt afraid to a point he quickly speed-walked out of the bedroom, closing the door after himself.

o.o.o

A few hours after breakfast, where Gwen and Julie were out, and Kevin was who-knows-where, Ben trudged into his bedroom. Walking to his bedside table, he reached in and pulled out the top drawer. Searching a little, he picked up the small enchanted conch, smiling momentarily; Kanou-a was the only thing in his life that actually gave him a sense of protection and relief; the one thing in his life that he hadn't fucked up all by himself.

He brought the conch to his lips, and _nearly_ blew into it, when a knock came at the door. Ben quickly pushed the un-used conch back into the drawer and shut it. The doorknob of his bedroom turned as the visitor opened the door.

Ben turned around and almost gasped at the sight of Kevin standing there with a blunt look on his face.

Ben smiled, "So you've decided to talk-"

"Gwen and Julie asked me to call you out; there's been a sudden attack of Alpha Metron robots, and you're needed, pronto."

Ben's face fell in dejection, "Oh."

Nodding, he walked towards the door, Kevin quickly disappearing lest they meet or touch. Ben looked over his shoulder at the bedside table and sighed.

_Don't worry, Kanou-a; I may be a little late today but I'll see you no doubt, ok?_

o.o.o

Kanou-a tensed from under the water. Kirby usually calls him from the conch by now. At first, the merman had loitered around in his kingdom, waiting to hear the distant sound of his enchantment calling out to him. But as minutes passed, his patience thinned. A while later, he realised an hour had passed. Although he knew it must be because his Kirby was probably busy fighting aliens, his heart wrenched in longing and curiosity.

And therefore, he swam out to the ocean, swimming circles several feet away from the shore but near enough to spot any brunette. After idle minutes of swimming, back-flipping and even sighing, Kanou-a noticed a figure appear on the shoreline in the abandoned area.

Swimming towards the shore in frenzy, Kanou-a smiled as he neared the figure. He was not only eager to be in Ben's presence, but Kirby had promised he would let him know about his attempt to converse with a stubborn Kevin.

Kanou-a watched the figure of Ben, smirking at him, hands on his tan hips. Kanou-a smiled up at him, but before he could come closer and sit on the rocks, Ben cannoballed right into the water with a great 'ker-splash'. Kanou-a laughed as he shielded his eyes from the spray of water.

"Haha, Kirby, that was rather funny," Kanou-a laughed, swiping at his face. We saw Ben's face bob at the surface, spitting out the water, and then smiling coolly at him, an arm's distant away.

"Did you talk with Friend Kevin?" Kanou-a asked softly with a smile.

"Hmm?" Ben asked absentminded, blinking at the merman, and then spoke carefully, "No, I haven't. I shall, later."

Kanou-a gazed at him, his smile however slowly decreasing as he continued to gaze at him.

Ben looked back at the merman, tilting his head, "What is it?" and Ben's hand reached out under the water and touched Kanou-a's arm.

Kanou-a winced, moving back a little in surprise, goose-bumps erupting on his fair skin only to disappear the next moment. Blinking in confusion, Kanou-a gazed at Ben in confusion while touching at the spot Ben had touched, "Kirby,... your aura..., are you ill? Is the Omnitrix ill?"

Ben blinked at him, his eyes narrowing as he carefully answered, "No, I'm not ill. Is something the matter? What aura do you speak of?"

Kanou-a blinked too, gazing long and hard at Ben and then suddenly, his eyes widened in a sudden flash of blue. He moved more back, his pointed ears twitched once, and the fins of his shoulder-joints were standing up like the hairs of an alarmed cat. Seething at Ben with sharp fangs, hands fisting at his either sides, sparking with energy, he hissed, "IMPOSTER! Who _are _you?! Why are you impersonating Kirby?!"

'Ben' looked at him unfazed and then rolled his eyes in a not-Ben fashion, "Well, that was rather fast."

Kanou-a frowned more. The aura of pure evil coming off this man was irritating Kanou-a. He watched as 'Ben' raised his hand to his now smirking face and pulled off the ID Mask, revealing blue skin and bright red hair, with black eyes.

Kanou-a moved back in surprise at the revelation, as C-Mexx looked up at the sky and pushed up a hand as if to wave at someone in the air, behind Kanou-a.

Kanou-a panicked and turned, his eyes widening as he gaped at the sky. It was the first time he was seeing a huge bulky space ship; it was of pitch black, hovering over the sea, while a single person stood at the tippy-top, holding one of the top railings for support. He had long fluttering white hair and sharp ivory eyes that shone even from the greatly huge distance between Kanou-a and him.

Veremnos gave out a crackling laughter, shouting, "Capture him!"

Kanou-a's mind shrieked as he sensed the redheaded man behind him ready to pounce. In a flip, he smacked C-Mexx at the abdomen with his powerful tail, making the later growl and cough alien saliva, and taking the opportunity Kanou-a took off under the water. C-Mexx, recovering from his hit dived under too. Veremnos was grinning from up his mount, looking like a tiny action figure standing on a vaccum cleaner.

o.o.o

Kevin huffed as he swung a punch and knocked down three of the high-tech robots effortlessly. With a scowl, he straightened his blue shirt, and pulled at the grey sleeves of his inner shirt, and dusted his hands on his jeans.

Something was bothering him, the logic clawing at his head; few days ago, only ONE Alpha Metron had attacked them and it had nearly knocked the wind out of the four teens although they managed to defeat it. But here, there were several of them, and yet they were so easy to win over?

Kevin looked around; Gwen (dressed in small red tube top and small jeans shorts) was busy flinging circular manna blades at one robot that tried to shoot her. Julie was in her Ship-powersuit (within she wore a pink bra and white bolero, with black shorts), fighting two bots by manoeuvring a sword-like lance with neat Kendo moves that her Japanese grandpa had taught her. Kevin finally spotted the beautiful BigChill blowing ice at five of the robots and the smashing himself into the frozen figures to make them crumble into cold-metal rubble.

Kevin turned his attention to himself, just in time to elbow the chest of a robot that tried to attack him from behind, and then pulled the frozen bot over his shoulder to slam him on the ground, and crush its face under his foot to garnish his feat.

Soon, in about fifteen minutes, the teens were left to stand panting and sweating amongst several de-activated, de-capitated, and de-limbed robots.

"Something's fishy," Kevin hissed, walked up to the three.

"_Duh_ it is fishy, we're at a _beach,_ hello?!" Gwen grinned, standing akimbo.

Kevin sneered at her, and added, "I mean, something's wrong!"

"How's _anything _wrong?! We just defeated a whole _group_ of high tech Metrons! It means we've improved!" Gwen spoke brightly, panting yet.

"No, it means this is a trap!" Kevin snapped, and looking at the remains of the robots, he said, "I for one know how badass these things are; and for the record, they are extremely expensive and _engineered_ in a way that is really hard to defeat. Here, given that fact, it's like as if they were _purposely_ letting us defeat them; I think they have been programmed that way, despite the fact that they costs like fuck."

"Why would anyone waste time and money by programming robots to be defeated when fought?" Julie asked, her voiced muffled from behind her powersuit.

Ben attempted to answer her, after turning back to being a human when the Omnitrix timed out, "Maybe someone's sending these defeat-able robots and observing our moves and trying to copy them, you know, the basic hero-analysis the baddies do in movies? Like in The Incredibles?" He shrugged in his green shirt and black vest within, paired with skyblue jeans shorts. Looking up and around the sky and the land, to try and spot any hidden suspicions, Ben mused in confusion.

They paused some more, looking around, vigilant yet confused. Ben and Kevin stared at the horizon folding their hands over their chests. Gwen closed her eyes, scanning the area with her manna. Julie willed Ship to remove himself off her, and she scooped up the cellphone-format he turned into, and popped it into the pocket of her jeans.

Suddenly, Gwen winced and jumped, making the three turn to her in surprise.

"What? You sense something?" Kevin asked. Gwen's pink eyes turned green as she stared at her hand in confusion.

"No, it's weird, I sensed some weird energy, I can't recognise it, but it struggling in the water. The water... I think its barring me from sensing the energy, but somehow the 'thing' is moving out of the water, so I can feel it, but its...unidentifiable!"

Ben froze. He had a hunch what that 'thing' would be. He hoped Kanou-a had not taken it to his head to come visit him.

"OH MY GOD!" Julie shrieked.

The three turned to her, to see her gape at the sky, Kevin and Gwen followed. Ben turned and gaped at the sky too.

A huge spaceship had appeared suddenly in the sky, low enough to make itself look huge to nearly occupy the whole expanse of the sky. It floated above the ocean, its blades whirring and motors chugging, sparks of energy working inside as fuel. The ship exhaled large bouts of air that made the teens' clothes and their hairs flutter, and the sand situated away from them kick up a small storm swirling like confused snakes.

Atop the large ship, stood Veremnos.

Kevin hissed under his breath, "Man, not _that_ guy," and sensing the three were looking at him for explanation, he spoke with his eyes on the spaceship, "That's Veremnos, a black-market weapons dealer; he's fucking rich, evil and does all kinds of trading, auctions and selling. Now I get why he's been sending pricey Metrons to fight us; he probably wants the Omnitrix and sell it to the highest bidder! But that still doesn't explain the defeat-able ones though."

The four continued to stare at the ship, waiting for more Metrons to rain out of the ship and attack them. But nothing happened.

Ben, however, noticed that several thick metal cables were slung out a large window of the ship on the side facing them. The cables went down and into the water. The closer it was to the water, the more it split into a net-like formation. As if the ship had dropped a fishing-net in the ocean.

Soon, the three other noticed it too.

The commander's voice carried powerfully through the air as he shouted with a grin, "Greetings, Ben Tennyson and Team! Lovely weather, I'd wager?"

"What _the hell_ do you want?!" Ben shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth as an amplifier.

"I am Commander Veremnos. I admittedly pursue artefacts and gadgets that please my eye, one of them being on your wrist!" he laughed, "But at the moment, I have something else I wish to covet, if you would excuse me?"

Suddenly a figure shot out of the water, propelled by a jetpack. It was C-Mexx. He floated in the air, a few metres above the water, but several feet below the spaceship; his red hair wet and sticking to his face, his tight cat-suit of black glistening appealingly.

"That's his right-hand-in-command C-Mexx," Kevin whispered to the three who stared, "Wonder what the two of them are doing in the ocean?!"

C-Mexx smirked vainly at them down his nose and then turned to look up at the imposing ship and the commander who stood proudly at the top. C-Mexx gave out a thumbs up, and Veremnos nodded.

"Ah, here it comes! Hahahah!" Veremnos laughed openly.

The four teens watched as the cables started to move upwards, being pulled into the window by some mechanism within; the parts of the cables lifting out of the water were dark glistening black with wet as they raised. The more they were lifted the more it was obvious that it was some sort of a high-tech net.

The teens waited in confusion of what the alien dealers were fishing in the ocean, on Earth.

"I believe," Veremnos called out loud, in an evil and sultry tone, "...that _I have something that is yours_..._BEN TENNYSON?_ HAHAHAHA!"

The three teens turned to Ben, who looked back at them in confusion, "Don't look at me; I don't get it either, guys."

He turned back to the ship, cupping his hands around his mouth again, "WHAT? What're you blabbering about?! I don't- OH!"

His hands fell from his mouth to his sides, limp in shock, his sentence left hanging with the punctuation of an exclamation.

Four sets of jaws dropped simultaneously.

Ben stepped forward in the horror of the sight, his breath hitching in his throat, his brain screaming, his lungs screaming, his heart screaming, his muscles screaming, his body screaming; everything screaming, screaming, screaming, till his mouth did too.

"NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NOOO! KAAANOU-AAAA!"

The three of them jumped at the high pitch of Ben's wail, and they continued to stare shocked at the sight of the what the spaceship was fishing.

The mass of cables rose completely from the water, dripping waterfalls. Trapped in the electrically-sparking net of tough black cables, was ...

"_A merman?!_ Is that _a real merman?!_ With a blue tail and everything?!" Julie gaped, her small brown eyes widest they could manage.

"It's real! Is it a merman or mermaid?" Gwen added, her mouth wide open in awe.

"Yeah, a merman! I can't see any breasts, and I can't see his face, its hung down and covered up with his hair!" Julie peered.

"Hey! He's emanating the weird energy I felt earlier!" Gwen gasped, "He's got a different kind of magic! A different kind of manna!"

"What the fuck?!" Kevin mumbled at the sight of the trapped move-less merman. Kevin then winced at the name 'Kanou-a', feeling he had heard it somewhere, somehow, somewhen.

Meanwhile, Ben's face shrivelled in terror. The three of them saw Ben's hands shoot up and grip his brown hair in terrorised frustration, his face directed to the limp merman in the nets.

"NO! NO! KANOU-A! NOT YOU! PLEASE NO!"

Surprised at the concern Ben showed for the fantastic creature, Gwen gasped, "Ben... you _know_ that guy?!"

"You knew about a merman, and you didn't even tell us?!" Julie asked sounding shocked.

_Kei-noah-something? Where have I heard that...?_ Kevin mumbled to himself, and frowned in irritated confusion.

All of a sudden, to the greater astonishment of the three teenagers, Ben sobbed. Yes, actually _sobbed,_ making the three recoil in alarm.

"Ben?" they asked in unison, in shock of seeing the otherwise unmoving teenager with his face tight, green eyes scrunched and wet trails running down his face.

The emotional tumult in Ben's heart could not be understood by the other three. Ben knew, with Kanou-a captured, horrible things would be done to his merman body, the things they would do in experiments, Ben would never see him again! Or what if there aliens were fish-eaters?! And Kanou-a was not even moving, what if he was already dead?!

After having been lingering in depths of heart-ache owing to the 'Kevin-Kanou-a drama', Ben's unstable mind faltered greatly. The terror, the shock and the fear had thrown Ben's emotions off balance and he could not even stop the full furious tears as he growled angrily and madly at the ship.

"LET HIM _GO_, YOU FUCKING _ASSHOLES!_"

The three teens jumped again at the powerful amplitude of Ben's voice.

...And then all Hell broke loose when the merman stirred from the net.

Kanou-a's pale hands moving slowly, trying to shift his sparkling blue tail, and he twitched tail fins that peeked painfully through the criss-cross openings of the net. It was evident how bruisingly the tough net pressed against the soft skin of his tail and his body, as the ropes painfully bit into the skin and held him in its vice grip.

The three teens stared in anxious curiosity to see that the creature was alive and moving. The merman sorely shifted, long-nailed fingers gripping the net in pain and in struggle. There were metal clasps on his wrists, that shone with blue dots every-now-and-then, showing that his powers were nullified to keep him from escaping. He groaned gently, the sapphires and pearls of his neck shone in the sunlight. He winced as he felt a few of his fins tearing at the merciless nets. Slowly, he lifted his drooping head, brushing back his fringe for proper vision. He had woken from his weakened state because he had heard the sound of his beloved.

He stared out at the beach at four thunder-struck teenagers. Kanou-a gripped the nets with his hands, his face easily visible, his blue eyes watching the four.

"HOLY SHIT!" Kevin gasped, his eyes widest they could be, fixated tightly on the face of the merman cradled in the rough net.

The merman gazed at them, and then at his beloved lover, Ben.

"Kirby..." he moaned out loud enough for the teens to hear, his face looking apologetic and helpless. The sad and guilty look of his face, along with the black hair and his trapped condition would have made any sadistic BDSM-crazy human die with a painful hard-on.

"KANOU-A!" Ben shouted.

Gwen had her knees on the verge of buckling, "Oh my god! He... he's gorgeous! And he looks like.., Kevin!" she turned to the stumped Kevin who stared at the net-held merman. She then turned back at the merman, gaping at the uncanny resemblance.

"Oh, he's so beautiful!" Julie gasped, pressing her hands to her face in shock, "Wait, did he just call Ben 'Kirby'?!"

The girls turned to panicking Ben, who had his face wrought on the merman as he waded hurriedly into the water up to his knees, sobbing, "Kanou-a! Stay alive! I'm coming for you!"

"No, Kirby! Stay! It isn't wise to do so!" Kanou-a spoke in alarm, the Kevin-like voice shocking the other three even more. Kanou-a put out a pale arm waving it as if to shoo Ben away, although Ben was a hundred feet away from him and fifty feet under.

The cables moved as it hoisted Kanou-a more and more, but ever so slowly owing to the weight and to the pleasure that Veremnos and C-Mexx sought from watching Ben and Kanou-a.

"KANOU-A! I'm coming, just-," Ben sniffed roughly, fiddling with the Omnitrix and smacking his hand over the red surface repeatedly in impatience, "Switch on, damnit! Switch on! Switch ON!" but it had timed out after their fight with the Metrons and was currently not being co-operative.

Ben, dismayed and shaken, stared back up, cupping his hands around his mouth again, "Hold on, Kanou-a! I'll save you! I swear I will!"

Meanwhile, Kevin Levin's world was falling at his feet in pieces. He gazed in terrified shock at the merman. That face, that skin, that hair, those muscles, that voice, it was all exactly like his clone if he had one. But the clone had blue eyes, making him gentler, and he spoke politely, and ... he was a _merman of all things!_

And his name... was... Kuh-no-haa?

"Wait a sec," Kevin gasped to himself, in realisation, suddenly remembering where he had heard that name before. His mind whirred and chugged and geared in rapid succession.

... _Kuhhhh...nnnnh...ooohhhhhaaaa, fasssster, fasssssterr..._

_... Super hot. Raven. Really pale. Sorta alien..._

_... remember I told you I was seeing a raven chick? Yeah it wasn't a chick! It was a guy, whom I met on the beach..._

_... In my sleep, I saw him, I was half asleep so I thought you were him..._

_... Even those other times I kept staring at you, its 'cause you remind me of him,..._

_... Um, Kevin, he is not that easy to find uh, he's-he's special and..._

"I ... I lost to a merman clone?!"

Kevin found his stomach churning; Ben had been in love with a merman, who looked exactly like him. All those times Ben had been staring at him, he had only seen that merman. A merman of all goddamn things.

Kevin gaped to himself, not sure whether to be proud about the fact that Ben fell for someone who looked the same as him or to be pissed-off about the fact that he had lost to the same face as a human.

Ben was busy sobbing in repentance, watching Kanou-a being lifted away, unable to do anything. Ben was sobbing for a merman. Whom he loved enough to be sobbing without a tinge of shame or embarrassment; shedding genuine heartfelt tears. For a merman. Who looked like Kevin's twin.

How could Ben have kept this from him?!

Kevin frowned like a thundercloud, his fists balling at his sides again, and he barked, "BEN!"

Ben gasped and turned his red tear-streaked face to Kevin, completely forgetting that since the similarity was revealed, he was in big trouble with the raven.

"K-Kevin..."

"So, 'he kinda has the same black hair, same kinda skin and somewhat the same bodywork as I do', huh?!" Kevin hissed through gritting teeth, "You forgot the part _where he looks like my fucking CLONE!"_

Ben swept his hand across his cheek, feeling multiple pangs of hurt, "Kevin, I -"

"Wait, what's going on?" Julie interrupted.

"Did you know about this merman, Kevin?" Gwen added.

"No, I didn't!" Kevin snapped, his reply was at Gwen but his scowling face was focused on Ben. Ben gulped, seeing no point in reasoning with two oblivious girls and a pissed raven. He turned back to the merman who had nearly reached the window. Wiping his tears and sweat off his face again, he called, "Hold on, Kanou-a!"

"Kirby!" Kanou-a managed but then the net had reached the window and metallic clasps thrust out like spider-legs. Kanou-a growled Kevin-like, but he had no escape as the long claws clutched him and tugged him into the window which shut close in several layers.

Hence the merman was gone from sight.

"HAHAHAHA!" Veremnos laughed as C-Mexx grinned at his side. "That was quite the dramatic show! Humans are _extremely_ pathetic!"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Ben shouted in uncurbed anger, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING ABDUCTING KANOU-A?!"

"Why don't you find out for yourself, human?!" Veremnos laughed as he turned and jumped into a hole on the top on the ship and disappeared. C-Mexx gave the frozen teens a final look as he too jumped into the ship.

"NO! COME BACK! GIMME KANOU-A BACK!" Ben howled ignoring the ache it created in his throat, wadding more into the water till the water level reached his waist but the ship moved off a little and became completely invisible.

Leaving nothing but the vast expanse of clear cloudless indigo.

Silence.

Empty silence.

Nothing remained but a broken heart, two confused minds, and a shocked Romeo. Soft swishes of the ocean waves crashing into the rocks was the only sounds for a few moments. But that silence peppered by the ocean only last as much.

The girls immediately demanded answers.

"Who was that, Ben?!" Gwen asked in dismay, "You knew about a merman but you didn't even tell us?!"

"And why the Hell does he look like Kevin?" Julie added in surprise.

Ben stared open mouthed at the empty cloudless sky, gazing out blankly, his eyes sore and hurt, his heart slowing down in defeat, his lungs weakening, the water swished and sloshed around his waist, his hands limp into the water too. He could only whisper, "K-Kanou-a..."

"Ben!" the girls snapped together to gather his attention. Ben lowered his head, deciding to answer them before he broke into more sobs, "H-His name is Kanou-a."

"Yeah, we got that bit really well, with you screaming our ears off!" Gwen frowned with a scoff.

Ben winced.

Kevin wanted nothing more than to punch Gwen in the face; can't she see that Ben was hurting really bad?! Yes, Kevin hated this new revelation, but he didn't like it when Ben cried, and it made him shut up, so why can it not shut the bitchy Gwen up too?! Atleast Julie was being more nice.

"Ben, is he your friend?" Julie asked.

Ben turned, quickly walking out of the water, his body heaving side to side as he fought the gravity of the waves, "Yes, he's my..." green eyes caught a pair of chocolate ones of the raven who looked back in the same emotion of supreme hurt. "I'm really close to him. Can we not talk about this _now? _I need to think on how I can save him..."

Once out of the water, Ben regained his composure, his hero-side sparking up and eddying inside of him. He smashed his wet fist to his wet palm, growling, "Shit! I could have saved him,... but the fucking Omnitrix! Useless piece of garbage won't work when I need it the most!"

Gwen was still dwelling in the concept of Ben having a merman buddy, "Ben, what do you mean 'close to him'?"

Julie added, "When did you meet him, Ben?"

Kevin snapped in a comment completely out of the girls' conversation, "The time-out! So _that's_ why the Metrons were easy!", making the three turn to him. He frowned, "Veremnos knows that the Omnitirx will time out after a long session; so he sent the poorly-fighting Metrons to keep us busy while he fishes out Aqua-Me. So if we were to find out, Ben couldn't stop them 'cause of the time-out."

Ben nodded, and looked at the sand.

He was feeling sick. Absolutely sick, confused and pained.

With the mood swings of a pregnant lady (no, he was not pregnant), he suddenly whipped his heads to the girls, and glowered at them with his toxic green orbs, making them shrink in fear. Ben brushed away wet strands of brown hair from his eyes, not caring that his shirt was lopsided and the sleeves hung against his skin and his pants hung heavily against his hips too.

He hissed in a dangerous voice, his hands waving wildly to emphasise points, "And why didn't the two of you do _nothing_?! Didn't your _famously clever female minds_ work up that the trapped merman _means _something to me and that I would want him to be saved?!" Ben growled poking at his temple, "Did your brains melt?! You, Gwen, could have easily used your shitty manna and delayed them! And you, Julie, where the_ fuck_ was your quick Jap-reflexes, huh?! Just 'cause_ I_ have the Omnitrix and that _I_ save everyone's butts, doesn't mean that when I am helpless, you guys get to sit back and watch my misery!"

Seeing Ben behave like a deranged murderer really frightened the girls to silence. Kevin too felt appalled at the emotion he showed for Kanou-a, that made him behave like a madman.

Kevin felt sad that Ben would never love him fiercely enough to go mad like that. His heart sprung to his throat as he thought more, feeling only more pain.

Julie spoke, her voice a bit of a defending squeak, "But, we were too shocked to do anything, Ben! We can't even understand what's going on!"

"And why aren't you shouting at Kevin?!" Gwen asked with a pout.

Ben froze and looked at the raven male. The brunette sighed, his frown falling and spoke with his eyes on him, "Because, he has more issues to recover from, than the two of you! I ... I'm sorry Kevin,... for not telling you about Kanou-a's resemblance to you, for not telling you he was a merman... for everything."

Ben shrugged dejectedly, feeling the fierce anger and spirit of courage seep away from him. He turned away, jerking his hands to remove the dripping seawater off the sleeves.

Julie spoke, "Ben what do you mean by all that?! What has telling Kevin got to do with the merman? And what did you mean 'close'?"

Gwen voiced louder, "Ben! How close are you to that merman? Tell us!"

Ben paused. His frame shook and trembled like a volcano about to spew. This was _just about_ _it_. Here he was, worried and confused on how to rescue Kanou-a from an invisible spaceship with the help of a timed-out Omnitrix; and there they were, the two girls who want to know about...

Patience stretching and emotions brimming, his fists balled as he spun on his heels, eyes flashing like fatal signals of emerald fury.

"_You wanna know how close I was to Kanou-a?!"_ Ben bellowed angrily frightening the girls and making Kevin's eyes wide, "_I'll tell you how close I was to Kanou-a!_ _I HAD SEX WITH HIM UNDER THE OCEAN!_ _THAT'S__ HOW CLOSE WE ARE!" _

Seeing the girls jump in the realisation of his statement_,_Ben sliced the air violently with his hand as he emphasised his point, "And I am in _fucking love_ with him and I will do _anything_ to get him back! The two of you _bitches _won't _ever _understand what I've been through, the pain and hurt, the guilt of hurting my best friend," he pointed at a shocked Kevin, "Trying to keep this guy from leaving me, trying to not fear Kanou-a's family turn against us, trying to keep everything together with your nosy curiosity, _and_ be with my true love, and now Kanou-a is in trouble; who, who, who knows what those aliens are gonna do to him, who knows if they're going to eat him or rape him or god-knows-what, but I have to save him and the Omnitrix is not helping and neither are you two, so if you're gonna keep on nagging me, I _swear_ when this thing come on, I will Swampfire-fry the BOTH of you!" he brandished his Omnitirx-wrist at them angrily.

Gwen and Julie stared and stared at Ben panting hoarsely from his speech of utter fury.

A few moments of shaken silence followed, during which the brunette gazed at them, feeling his energies abandoning him. He had never lashed out at the girls like that; the two girls who were important in his life.

Ben slumped to the ground on his knees, he placed a hand on his chest that hurt, and he sobbed more, fingers gripping the sand in confusion.

It was obvious. The days of emotional strain had taken its toll on the youngster; it was all too much for him to take in. Ben felt sick, as if he wanted to throw up till he only spat bile. He felt his body was on fire, responding to his boiling mind. He could not even think straight.

Kevin felt his heart groan and rumble for the pathetic state Ben was in. He knew in varying degrees he was responsible for it too. He turned to the white-faced girls who could not understand what had gotten their jovial and happy Ben (who had always been cheerfully stupid and remained naive) to talking about love, pain, hurt, guilt and end up sobbing about a merman whom he had lost his virginity to.

The girls blinked at each other, each thinking the same thing. _And so... Ben was gay?_

Kevin looked at the ground, feeling that his own pain was nothing compared to what Ben suffered. He then looked from the frozen girls to the broken Ben hunched on the sand.

Gwen recovered mildly from her shock, she stiffly turned to Kevin, her eyes wide, mouth open. Julie joined her gesture. It was almost as if they half expected him to jump on them too.

But Kevin sighed and walked up to them, and decided that they deserved to know what they had missed, so he calmly told them everything.

Everything.

Everything, from his point of view at least, and that too, in simple terms, about how an unintentional hand-job turned into emotionally stressful confusion.

The girls gaped, unable to believe the drama that had been going on under their noses the whole while. To think that Kevin would fall in love with Ben of all people.

When Kevin finished speaking, he looked at Ben, who looked up at them with a tear-streaked face, a piteous sight for them.

The three slowly walked up the brunette kneeling on the ground. Each girl lovingly came to Ben's sides and helped him up, as he mumbled frantic apologies for lashing out at them for the second time in two days, and for losing his sanity so easily. They were unbelievably understanding (they were girls after all) as they shooed away Ben's apologies and calmly told him that no matter what he said, they would always love him. They even apologized in turn for being (as they admitted) bitches.

Ben hunched, supported by the girls, feeling weak and emotionally drained, his temperature rising.

Gwen held him calmly, "He's building a fever from the shock and stress. Hold him Julie, I'm gonna try one of my new spells," at which Julie nodded in reply and curled her hands around Ben's abdomen.

Kevin watched from a few steps away; he was yet to say anything to Ben but he remained mute while watching, as a drowsy Ben supported his frame against the lithe Julie. Gwen placed one glowing pink hand on Ben's heart and the other hand on his head.

A few moments later, Ben's closed eyes shot open, glowing pink instead of green. The pink glow receded to show his beautiful emerald irises. He blinked more and groaned as he straightened up, the girls slowly withdrawing their arms, cautious in case he faltered. Ben was looking down at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists slowly.

He felt rejuvenated, reenergised, strong and healthy again. His mind was feeling better too.

"Feels great," he mumbled in awe, looking at Gwen who smiled sweetly at him answering, "One of my new spells; it restores your bodily strength and heals weakened minds. It takes a lot of my energy so I might not be good at manna-shooting for an hour or so."

Ben smiled apologetically and jumped out to hug her warmly, "I'm sorry about everything I said!" he whispered, holding her tighter.

"Well, s'ok, Ben; most of what you said... I mean, _all_ of what you said... was true. We should face the truth now-and-then, its good for us girls," Gwen sighed with a shrug, patting the back of the brunette's spine.

"I'm sorry; I guess I end up hurting everyone I love..." he sighed as he pulled back, turning to shower Julie with his hug next. The raven girl only giggled and told him to keep it together, "We are here for you, Ben! We'll help you no matter what! However we can!"

"Don't mean to destroy the mood, but shouldn't we be making plans to save Aqua-Boy?" Kevin's regretful voice swam in. Ben turned to the raven and blinked at him sadly, "But, but the ship is completely invisible. If it were visible on the Plumbers badge, we would have detected in ages ago. How are we supposed to save Kanou-a if we can't even find him?!"

The girls looked at each other, unable to do anything. Kevin continued to think deeply. Ben's thoughts went into a repenting mode as he sighed, "Shit, I should have called out Kanou-a earlier and told him that I couldn't spend time with him 'cause of the Metrons! If I had told him, then he wouldn't have come out here and he wouldn't have been caught."

"And how would you do that?" Julie asked in surprise.

"Kanou-a gave me this conch; he enchanted it with his magic, such that if I blew into it, it gave off a magical signal, only detectable to him, and signal tells him that I wanted to meet him. That's how I met him every day; I would call him out after breakfast and then we'd meet at the abandoned area of the beach, or go exploring. And I was gonna call him out today, just before the two of you sent Kevin to fetch me."

Ben stopped talking, his face sporting a sad look of longing. How slyly the sealed fate played with him.

The surprised girls gasped in awe, "He _enchanted_ a conch for you?! That's _so romantic!"_ the two sighed dreamily.

Kevin huffed in concealed jealously, looking away at the horizon than at Ben or the stupid girls.

"Kanou-a is _extremely_ romantic," Ben mused, a small smile playing on his lips, "He's very gentlemanly." His smile fell as quick as it came. "I have to find him, somehow. I dunno what to do, ugh," he groaned deeply in frustration and concern.

Gwen sighed, "I wish I could track him or something; but right now, I can't feel his special manna at all! That must be because of those nullifying cuffs he had on; Grandpa did tell me about those."

Julie shook her head, "There must be something we can do. Some way we can track him down?"

"The conch."

The three turned at the sound of Kevin's voice. Ben blinked as Kevin looked blankly at him with half-lidded eyes. Ben muttered, "Huh?"

"I said, the conch. It's our only way to Fish-Hips."

Ben raised an eyebrow at the raven for two things: one, about the conch, two, about refusing to refer to Kanou-a using his name. Ben gave out a sigh and said, "Kevin, the conch only blows magical signals at him. How can we use it to find Kanou-a?!"

Kevin looked calmly at them. He took a deep breath and then spoke to them, with serious concentration, "I'm guessing how the conch works is that the merman's magical signature is imprinted on it, and only his senses can detect it. So if the merman can sense the signals off the conch, then while detecting the signals he himself will have to activate his powers a little, kind of like Spiderman's spider-sense. And during the sensing, he will give off minimal amounts of his manna unconsciously, which, the nullifying handcuffs will try to deteriorate. The moment the handcuffs start to fight the merman's powers, it's activation too will be detectable in any modified radar. Pinpointing the location of the cuffs will tell us where the ship is. So I say Ben gets the conch, blows on it. Meantime, we have Julie's Ship ready as a modified radar that can track the signals off the cuffs. Gwen, you can use your manna to strengthen the conch's signals so that Water-Boy can respond quicker. Then, once we have the co-ordinates of the location of the cuffs, we can get to Dolphin-Thighs. That's my plan. Anybody else have any other ideas?"

The three teens gaped as if they had completely forgotten what English was. Staring at the nonchalant raven, they blinked in disbelief.

"What?" Kevin questioned, and raised an eyebrow at them.

"Woah," Gwen gasped, "For an Osmosian, you know a lot about manna!"

Kevin shrugged and narrowed his eyes on the sandy ground, "The quicker we save the Noah-guy, the sooner I can take a shower and a nap." His true intention was that the quicker Kanou-a was saved, the sooner Ben would be happy and smiling. Not that he was going to voice that intention, now was he?

"And I think it's a _great_ plan!" Julie's face lit up in hope.

'Beep Beep Beep!'

The Omnitrix made itself known as it switched back on, blinking its black-and-green symbol self-importantly. Ben frowned down at it, mumbling, "So _now_ you decide to be useful?!"

Kevin's voice made Ben look up from his wrist, "Tennyson, you better not use the Omnitrix _at all;_ till we reach the merman. You might wanna make sure to save up, so that it doesn't time out when we have to fight Veremnos's robots to get outta there with your _boy friend_."

"Ok," Ben nodded, not feeling hurt by the manner Kevin had hissed at the last two words.

Ben gazed at Kevin with a look of sincere appreciation. Ben had expected Kevin to show him cold-feet, and be indifferent to him and Kanou-a; maybe even refuse to care a hoot enough to help them. But here Kevin was, spewing details for a brilliantly intricate way to save Kanou-a when they all thought there was none. Kevin had just given him a ray of hope when all else seemed against chances of saving Kanou-a. Yes, Kevin still refused to look at him properly or to converse with him without the cold look in his eyes, but at least he had wordlessly agreed to help Ben find Kanou-a, and at least he was ready to use his superior intellect for someone who was the pivot of the failure of Kevin's unrequited love.

Ben smiled; the raven's silent help showed how much he loved Ben, and Ben felt miserable that he couldn't return it as much. If only Kevin had fallen for someone who could return all that passion in the same depth and intensity.

Kevin frowned at the lost look in Ben's eyes.

"Tennyson! What _the hell_ are you waiting for?! Get into the house and fetch your damn conch!" Kevin ordered, swinging his hand in direction of the beach houses. Ben snapped out of his thoughts, to see Gwen and Julie already making their way speedily to the house to prepare for their parts in Kevin's plan.

Ben nodded, and smiled, "Kevin, than-"

"Don't go there, Ben," Kevin hissed darkly, turning and walking away towards the houses, leaving Ben to stare after him. Ben then started, and quickly followed the three who were sprinting to their beach house.

Ben felt a lift in his chest, as he ran.

_Don't worry, Kanou-a, we are coming for you!_

- End of Chapter -

* * *

**_Ok, that was long and really long and due. :D srry, I was having a tough time yo! :D had a sudden inspiration to draw out Kanou-a and his bros! :3_**

**_And OMG! Thts how Kevin and Kanou-a see each other uwaaaaa! :D I just LOVE it whn characters look like carbon copies! One of the reasons why I adore g1rldraco7's fics, its full of Kevin and Ben carbon copies uwaaa! :D !_**

**_For all those who are against angst... I told you so, bitches! XC it was menshuned in tha warnung! but noooh, nobahdy listens!_**

**_For those who are ok with angst... heheh srry dunno whts up with me lately ! :P_**

**_Revieeeeeewwwwwwwwwww pls! _**

**_:D thnks to wolfy-chan, hot-chan, yaoiqueen17, kanouaxben, and all my frequent reviewers! keep em coming! Mwah! Ur reviews are my fuel! My energy! My sustenance! (sparkly shonen eyes) I cud write a whole poem about it! don't make me! :3_**


	14. The Prisoner's Room

**_hello again! srry for the wait, heres a hge chappie to make up for my delay! :3_**

**_I would like to reply to my guest Reyna Gold. Shes thrown at me cleverly the most tough question yet:_**

**_"which do YOU personally like more- BeVin (BenxKevin) or Benou-a (BenxKanou-a)?"_**

**_:D Oh man! Seriously?! Thts like asking me whom I like more, Ben or Kevin! Its insane! Hahah... T_T shudda seen it coming yeah!_**

**_Ok to answer you reyna, hehe I seriously have no idea! I mean, both pairs are different and I love them in their own ways! Especially coz Kanou-a is my own OC, so im bound to love him if I created him so eagerly right?! And ofcourse I adore Kevin, why do you think Kanou-a looks like him?! :P initially, I intended to make Kanou-a look like Kevin just for the fun of it, plus coz I adore kevin. Thn I realised all of the juicy tension I cud weave out of this similarity, I was glad heheh, I was like 'bazinga, baby!'_**

**_So um, tht sounds like me beating around the bush -_-, so sorry reyna, but your question is really puzzling and unanswerable! :D I have no idea at all, whom I like more, bevin or benoua (omg! Omg! A new slash name! Aaaahh! So much Love! Thnk you reyna!) hahah, yup thts me right now, tonguetied and blabbering at the same time! Thnk you for your review, im glad you like my story! Yay! Omg, omg! Im so pleased!_**

**_Oh, and another guest going by the name...uh,'Guest'..., has asked me why would Kevin and the girls take Ben along with them if they knew that the bad guys want him too? Yeah well, um Kevin Gwen and Julie don't actually have a clue wht Veremnos and C-Mexx are planning, all they know is that they have Kanou-a and Ben wants him back. I will see to this in next chapter ,thnk you for reminding me abt this fact! Its reviews like these tht help me catch up with small forgotten details that passed my notice whilst writing with a frenzy! Thnkyyouuuuuu, Guest! Mwah!_**

**_Aw, Kanou-axben, you were Teardrop?! :D and don't fret, u shud hold on to the gypsy's words wink wink! A happy ending for Kevin coming soon rite? :)_**

**_Oh, special shout out to sheltoncj who wrote to me a brilliant set of PMs; thnk you! i really like your adives on animals and fantasy beasts! :3 go chris! :D_**

**_And hello there, IntelFreak, welcome to the club of Meeting Kanou-a Reviewers! :D im happy u liked the story, and yeah well, despite not being a sadist, I dunno why I end up torchuring my fav character kevvy so much -_-, but oh well, its all a part of the fun rite?! :D_**

**_Thnk you to all others as well! I hope I have answered all your doubts thru PMs, as I answer the guests through the authors note :P_**

**_So now, where were we... oh yeah. Some Kanou-a-saving yeah!_**

**_(the chappies just keep getting longer and longer TT_TT)_**

**_Warning: really. Do I have to really go through this right now? Ok, yaoi/boyslove/angst (whn will it ever stop)/ stuff. nuff said._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Ben ten alien force. Oh and (thnks to ocicat0630 for reminding me) I shud remind you guys that my rules pertaining to the omnitrix are not accurate to the original, meaning, I dunno if the time-out thing actually exists in the alien force series and I DO know that Kevin cant shape-shift his metal-adsorbed hand into weapons yet, so if any of you out there, any alienforce freakies, want to kill me for the flexing I did in the rules, thn pls wait. I have to complete this story before you kill me :P_**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**Chapter fourteen: The Prisoner's Room**

The four of them walked carefully on the fragile pink manna.

It had been quite the feat tracking down the invisible spaceship. It took them around half an hour; with Kevin using Ship as the radar, Gwen with her hands raised above the enchanted conch as if blessing it, Julie looking on with eager eyes, Ben with a silent prayer on his lips after having blown into the shell.

Around the end of that half an hour of an agonising staring-match with the radar-Ship, a sudden wild beeping resounded, showing that somewhere out there the cuffs were resisting Kanou-a's recognition to the call of the conch. Ben nearly ran round and round in a fit of excitement, but a glare from Kevin made him rooted on the spot.

With his advanced tracking skills (that he had not disclosed on how he had obtained), Kevin fiddled with the equipment he had connected to the radar from his room in the beach house. Soon enough, he sat back in his chair, with the coordinates successfully downloaded into his Plumbers Badge.

And now, the four of them were walking up the sky in a series of careful manna-steps courtesy Gwen. They made sure not to catch the careful eyes of the robots that could be watching them. But they had no idea that even if any robots were doing so, they were given orders to not stop the teens.

After all, that was Veremnos' intention. Two preys (the merman and the Xenomorph), caught with one trap.

o.o.o

Being the unintentional gentleman, Kevin was the first to slip into the window of the side of the ship, looking around at the sophisticated interiors of the corridor, making sure there were no robots to suddenly whack their asses the moment they stepped in. He turned and gave the three a thumbs up. Since Gwen was low on the manna energy from rejuvenating Ben, she couldn't simply tug themselves into the ship, so she had to remain concentrating on the small disk of manna that the three stood on, just outside the window Kevin was looking out from; and wait for Kevin to help them in.

Reaching out from the opening, he caught Gwen's upper arms and helped her slender frame climb in. After setting her on the floor, Kevin helped the equally hour-glass figure of Julie up. Finally, he reached out with two hands and paused at Ben who looked up eagerly. A moment of awkward blushes, and Kevin bluntly caught Ben's thin arms and pulled his lithe body up carefully, forcing himself to ignore the brush of the brunette's chest against his, because he had miscalculated Ben's weight and tugged too hard.

Or maybe it was his own mind who did pulled Ben like that on purpose just so he could have a little physical contact? He didn't know. Not that he wanted to, anyway.

Carefully, the four made their way through the dark winding corridors, keeping wary of any clusters of armed robots patrolling for security reasons. Kevin had mentioned that Veremnos and C-Mexx were the only ones on this large ship, that otherwise contained several powerful robots, Alpha Metrons, weird alien specimens and other odd technologies that they covet along their way through the cosmos.

Every now-and-then, the teens would jump at the sound of metallic footsteps clattering crisply on the polished black floor, and they would press themselves against the walls, into the shadows, their glowing human eyes (two sets of green, two sets of brown) watching with bated breath as the robots passed even without a blink of caution.

Kevin narrowed his brown eyes in suspicion.

They walked in a line, one behind the other, Kevin in the front. Kevin had his Plumbers badge out, and it worked as a leading light too. His face glowed in the green aura emanating off the levitating map, showing them the way to the room containing Kanou-a. Every step they took made its effects on the four; Kevin found his anxiety increasing wondering how he was going to react to a merman clone rival, as he calls it. Gwen and Julie, although familiar with aliens and weird species like the back of their hands, could not contain their excitement on meeting a real life merman of their Disney Fantasies. Ben, it can be understood, had his heart painfully hammering, hoping Kanou-a was safe, and he was trying not to picture Kanou-a strapped to a torture table and that silver-haired guy and the red-haired guy standing over it with drilling gun above Kanou-a's chest.

Ben shuddered, making Julie look over her shoulder at him in concern, but he smiled at her and shook his head, so she nodded too and turned back to following the Osmosian and the Anodite in front of her.

They walked carefully, till Kevin stopped. Gwen bumped into him, Julie into her, and Ben into the raven female. Kevin looked over his shoulder and pressed a finger to his lips threateningly when the three made groaning noises. Silencing themselves with a nod, they looked at what had caused Kevin to stop walking. They saw what Kevin was staring at; a heavy metal door to their right. Kevin looked down at the Plumbers Badge, and then at the door.

"This is it...," Kevin hissed softly under his breath as if announcing a death sentence, "...Aqua-Boy's in there."

Ben tensed eagerly, and whispered from his position behind Julie, "How do we open it? We need to find the key, right?"

Kevin frowned at the door knob which was not a doorknob but a small laser circle. Evidently the key was also a laser one that had to be tapped on to the circle to open the door. It was high tech, Kevin knew. Something that might take a while to crack. However...

"We don't have to. It's open," Kevin breathed, his sharp eyes catching the activated state of the door's laser-lock system. He was surprised why someone would leave the door of the specimen prize's jail unlocked. Maybe Veremnos had been into the room and went out too, but had forgotten to lock it? But could a clever and powerful dealer with a sinisterly brilliant mind do something as stupid?

Kevin narrowed his eyes at the door. Something was not right. Or maybe he was just imagining it. After all, he was going to meet his rival, who happens to look like his twin, it's only natural he would be over-thinking everything else.

Kevin pushed open the door softly. Pushing the door out more, Kevin stood aside, letting Ben fly into the room first, his green eyes swivelling around cautiously. The girls followed. Julie paused at Kevin's side and asked in a whisper, "What about you?"

"What _about_ me?" Kevin asked bluntly, looking down at the small form of the Japanese American. She blinked back at him, "You're not coming in, are you." It was more of an observation that a question.

"What Ben does and who Ben meets, is none of my business," Kevin hissed looking away as if to watch out for robots, but Julie knew his heart was still on Ben.

"Really? Ok, right." Julie gave him a grin. Kevin looked down at her, frowning at her knowing smile. Sometimes, this chic was far too clever for her age.

Hence, Kevin remained at the threshold, watching as Ben, Gwen and Julie walked into the darkness of the Prisoners Room. Kevin could hear Gwen ask, "Where's the light switch or something?" She didn't use a ball of illuminating manna, because she wanted to save as much of her manna energy as possible, so that it would be recharged for later fights that were to come obviously. Much like how Ben refused to use the Omnitrix till he could kick some serious alien butt.

Kevin looked into the room from his spot on the threshold, and pointed to the side of one of the walls, "There, the blue dot, just click on it."

Gwen walked over to the glowing neon-blue circle on the wall, and clicked on it. Immediately, the room lit up in halo-ish white light that came from the weird tube-lights on the ceiling. Everything was suddenly visible in the room.

Gasps came from three teenagers, Ben's being the loudest.

The room was small, square, and lined with pitch black walls. On the wall right across from the door, several feet away, was a large glass water tank attached to that wall. The glass tank was about as tall as a telephone booth, and about as wide as two cars kept side-by-side. The tank had its edges lined with strong Titanium, and the pointed corners were beeping blue. Within, the tank was filled to the brim with sparkling water. And in the corner of the tank, sulking sadly was...

"Kanou-a!" Ben called out in alarm, immediately breaking into a sprint.

Kanou-a opened his eyes from his quiet meditation and sat up in alarm. His face shone as he caught the sight of his Kirby approaching him eagerly. Kanou-a swam up the small distance from his corner to the glass pane of the tank. Ben reached the other side of the glass pane, looking at him with sparkling green eyes.

The girls took a few steps closer, maintaining themselves in the background, so that they could be observers rather than participants. They watched in awe, staring at the beautiful pale merman.

"_Kirby_...," Kanou-a whispered in surprise and then in longing, as he pressed his fair palms to the glass, Ben doing the same from the other side such that their palms would have touched if it were not for the glass sandwiched in between. Wrought in a deep longing gaze with each other, they hadn't notice the girls inch slowly a little closer in awe, watching from afar. Or the raven gritting his teeth in silence, from the threshold.

"_Kanou-a..._," Ben breathed softly with _such_ pure passion, that the girls nearly squeaked, and Kevin nearly stumbled.

"You came for me?" Kanou-a whispered in his Levin voice that was gentle, his blue eyes sad and smiling, "Thank you, but you shouldn't have..."

"What do you mean I shouldn't have?!" Ben asked crossly but softly; pressing his face closer till his nose nearly touched the cold glass, "You think I could just sit back and relax, while waiting for them to drop you back into the ocean?!" his breath fogged a little of the glass.

"Beloved Kirby," Kanou-a pushed closer, such that their lips were in the same level, "How brave you are; I am proud of you!"

The girls almost whimpered at the sweet innocence flowing off the otherwise hot merman. Kevin meanwhile groaned and cussed at how Fish-Hips was destroying his bad-boy image by making a good-goody face like _that._

"But", Kirby, you have risked yourself; these creatures are skilled and not easy to defeat..."

"I dont care. I came here to save you, and I wont leave till I get you back into the ocean!"

Kanou-a smiled at Ben, "Thank you, love."

Ben blushed openly, and spoke, "Are you ok? Did they do anything to you? Drug you or hit you or something?" his eyes travelled lower to see small bruises on the pale wrists where the nullifying cuffs had been, "Oh no, you're hurt!"

Kanou-a shook his head gently, the soft waves of silken hair moving in the water, "It's alright, Kirby; the clasps that had been holding me are the reason of these bruises, for they shocked me whenever I tried to remove them or use my power to destroy them. But it's not matter now, for the blue-skinned creatures rid me of these clasps a few minutes ago and now my magic can flow freely within this glass prison, helping me heal my wounds. I cant however use my powers to break out of this cage, for somehow it seems to have the same property of cancelling out my magic. And I have no clue as to what the blue-skinned creatures wish to do with me or why they wish to ensnare me, for I can't quite decipher half the things they speak of!"

Ben sighed, and replied, "Whatever it's that they want, it can't be good! So I'mma get you outta here, Kanou-a! I promise!"

Kanou-a smiled genuinely at Ben, and the girls nearly swooned. And Kevin nearly groaned in frustration. It made him _sick _how loving Kanou-a was, and how that romantic smile was crushing his tough looks.

Kanou-a blinked at Ben, "What _is_ this odd vessel that floats in the sky? Is this what you had told me about? One of those 'spaceships' or such?"

Ben nodded, "Yeah. This is a spaceship."

Kanou-a smiled. Ben looked deeply at him, while Kanou-a studied the weak but shining emerald eyes.

"Kirby..." Kanou-a whispered, looking concerned as his indigo eyes wandered around Ben's face, "You had been crying, haven't you?" he then blinked looking away and mused, "Yes, I remember, when I was hoisted away from the ocean, you were dissolving in violent tears..." he turned back to look at Ben, his pale face sad and guilty.

Ben pressed his warm forehead to the cold glass, "Yeah, I was so emotionally unstable, with all the stuff happening since the last few days, you know, with your brothers, your mating, and Kevin..." making the girls startled at the word 'mating' and the raven at the threshold jump at the mention of his name, "... that I just lost it then and there, I was overwhelmed and suddenly so helpless that I felt paralysed. But I got through, with some help that is."

Ben looked up from where he had been staring at the merman's tail fins that swept softly side-to-side in the water. His green orbs were met with loving blue.

"Thank you," Kanou-a whispered, a gentle flush of pink forming across his pale manly cheeks (Kevin nearly swore the spaceship into oblivion but bit his tongue and hence prevented it) as the voice that could be sarcastic from Kevin but loving from Kanou-a, spoke to Ben, "You have shown me today what a true hero you are! But may I ask... why did you blow at the conch, Kirby? After all, you do know that I cannot come to you, that is, not when I am trapped in here? I was stunned when I felt the call of the conch reverberating in the air, but I not able to do anything could only watch as the clasps in my hands shook oddly."

Ben cutely at the merman, "Yeah, that's how we got here; we used the conch to find you using high level technology. It's complicated stuff, yeah! But I couldn't have done it without my friends!"

Kanou-a nodded with a smile, his eyes and his head moving sideways to see Gwen and Julie. The girls gasped as if they had been glanced at by their favourite celebrity. Blushing heavily, they blinked at Kanou-a who remained near the glass pane as he smiled in a friendly manner at them. The girls blushed more, they were not sure if the merman knew them but they doubted that Ben would never talk of them.

"Cousin Gwen and Friend Julie?"

The girls jumped to hear their names being called, that too so politely and respectfully. The girls looked at each other and then at Ben, who gestured at them to come closer. Unsure and nervous, the two walked to the tank with wide astonished eyes and stood beside Ben.

They gaped at the merman; his fair skin, his genteel face, the sparkly blue irises, the string of precious gems around his neck, the powerful muscles they recognised as Kevin's, the sharp-edged blue-tipped fins on his shoulders and forearms and waist, the long silky black hair, the pointed ears, the occasional glimmer of fangs in the mouth lined by thin but pouty lips, and then the long tapering blue tail flicking gently in the trapped and still water of the tank. The merman radiated with elegance, calmness and politeness; no wonder Ben fell in love with him; despite the fact that he looked like a spitting image of Kevin who was the opposite of calm and polite.

Kanou-a looked at Gwen and spoke, "You are Cousin Gwen, the half-spiritual being, having inherited her abilities from her grandmother who is a pure spiritual being. Kirby has told me a lot about you, and yes, you do look as if you were a sister of his, going by the resemblance!"

Gwen blushed at that, and gasped, "Thanks, uh... so Ben _does_ speak of me?" she smiled at the brunette who nodded. Kanou-a nodded too, "Kirby has told me a lot. He does look up to you as a sibling. He said that his initial days of being a hero had been spent with you and your grandfather named Max."

"Yes, I guess you know most of the stuff about us!" Gwen beamed in admiration. Kanou-a bowed his head in acknowledgment.

Kanou-a then turned to Julie who looked back in awe. "And you are Friend Julie, a pure human who takes care of an alien creature named Ship," and Julie nodded eagerly, so Kanou-a added, "Purely human but possessing the talent of... what was that now? Taahnos?"

"Tennis, you mean?" Julie asked carefully, at which Kanou-a smiled, "Ah yes, 'Tennis'. Kirby told me you have quite the reflexes owing to 'Tennis'. And that he adores you, with you being the first of Kirby's interest in females?" making Ben blush in embarrassment and Julie blush in nervousness, as Kanou-a continued, "Other than one female named Kai who turned out to be, as Kirby says, a 'bitch'?"

Julie and Gwen gaped at the merman. They turned to Ben and accused, "Ben, have you been teaching this nice guy many _swear_ words?!" at which Ben laughed saying, "Sorry, but he picks up on human slang to understand us better!"

Gwen and Julie turned back to the beautiful merman who smiled at them innocently. The girls grinned wider, for they had never see Kevin's face smile like that; in fact, this guy had done enough sweet-smiling to last Kevin a month. And it was so pretty that they wished Kevin would smile like that too, although it wouldn't befit Kevin's personality.

Then Gwen asked, "If you don't mind us asking, why do you call Ben as 'Kirby'?"

Kanou-a smiled, "Ah, when Kirby and I first met, and were exchanging names, he told me he was embarrassed about his middle name, so I decided to let him know that no matter what name he has...," Kanou-a turned to Ben, "... he was special and had nothing to be ashamed about, and should embrace a name given to him by his parents so lovingly."

The girls smiled softly in appreciation and interest, as the merman and Ben shared a long gaze of memories. Ben broke it before the lower part of his body reacted to Kanou-a's charm in public, "Um, so yeah, he's been calling me 'Kirby' for a while now, so I don't feel bad of the name at all! But I think I want only Kanou-a to call me lthat."

"So shall it be, love," Kanou-a spoke softly, his eyes shining at Ben.

A smooth but irritated voice swam through the air:

"Ok, don't mean to interrupt the _'Interview With The Merman'_, but shouldn't we be finding a quick way to be busting him out?"

The three teenagers and the merman turned to see Kevin walk into the room but maintain a good distance from the tank. His face sported an annoyed bluntness that dared anyone to contradict him. His half-lidded brown eyes were now locked with wide-open indigo blue.

"Friend Kevin...!" Kanou-a gasped in such fascination that it made Ben raise an eyebrow and the girls look surprised. A happy smile lit up Kanou-a's face as he moved sideways from within the tank and pressed closer to the pane to get a better look since Kevin made no effort to come closer.

"The identical resemblance is marvellous! Almost uncanny!" Kanou-a beamed, his eyes scrunched in approval, as he studied Kevin's bulky yet slim features, his shorter black hair, the cold brown eyes, his powerful muscles contoured by his clothes, and being a merman, Kanou-a was also interested at the tough sinewy thighs and strong calves. And the super-pissed expression on his face was actually appealing.

"Yeah, its freaking me out too," Kevin mumbled looking away, cursing under his breath wondering how longer could he stay without throwing up at the sunshiny-goodiness that the merman injected on his 'roguish charm'.His mind was frequently cursing internally.

_Seriously_ _WHY_ _did this jerk have to have MY face?!_ _And the way the three idiots are fawning over him, it just sucks balls! What the fuck is his problem?! Why is he so perfect?! Everything he says is making them coo like fucked up pigeons! Ugh!_

Kanou-a smiled sadly in a gentle voice, "Kirby was right, you are not quite fond of me, are you?" his head tilted a little, blue eyes looking a little dismayed, his fingers splayed on the glass that he pressed his palms against. The three other teenagers almost moaned in adoration of Kanou-a's want to be friends with a 'not-likely' Kevin.

Kevin cast a deadly glance at the merman who felt a little intimidated especially when noticing the shaking fist tightened at Kevin's side. Kevin's jaws were clenched too, as if he was resisting on commenting.

There was a heavy silence of two or three seconds as the two identical mirror-images studied each other; both being a paradox to each other. One being bluntly rude, breathing air, having legs; while the other, being gently kind, floating in water, with a tail. Yet, each was sporting the same face.

The strong gaze between the two went on, until Ben decided to ease the tension by directing his words to Kanou-a, "Kevin was the one who figured out how to use the conch to track you down! This spaceship was invisible so we couldn't actually find it, but it was Kevin's genius mind that gave us the heads-up! He's a techie genius!"

Kanou-a turned to Ben and then to Kevin. Giving another attempt, Kanou-a smiled at the raven, "Thank you, for helping Kirby find me, Friend Kevin!"

Then, Kevin lost it.

"_Stop_ calling me that!" Kevin spat angrily, breaking his mute-act, being unable to keep his brute self from voicing his disgust, "I don't even _know_ you and I'm NOT your _fucking friend!_"

The three teenagers outside the tank, and the raven merman _in_ the tank, all four froze at the wild hatred that had all of a sudden seeped right into the blunt face of Kevin. Kanou-a was mesmerised in the way the brown eyes had shifted from blank nonchalance to such extreme passionate rage, that he all but smiled.

_Kirby was only more right... Friend Kevin is fiery... and rather beautiful too..._

Ben sighed at the merman, "I told you, Kanou-a, he is just too stubborn..."

Kevin whipped his angered face towards Ben who jumped at the sudden attention as the raven grit his teeth, "You _really_ want my knuckle-sandwiches, don't you, Tennyson?!"

Kanou-a raised an eyebrow, looking lost at how the topic had shifted from talking about 'friends' to 'knuckle-whatsit' that he had no idea about.

"Friend Kevin -," Kanou-a started but Kevin put out a hand in a 'stop' gesture and hissed, "No! I don't wanna hear more of what you're saying if you're gonna repeat what Tennyson always says!"

Gwen and Julie looked at each other in surprise; and then realised there was more depth to the love-triangle that what they had imagined.

Kevin flared his nostrils to contain his rising irritation at the hopeful brunette, the whiny merman, and even the frozen girls. Taking a deep breath, he hissed his words directed at Ben, "I think I should remind you that we are _teenagers_ who _snuck_ into an _enemy_ ship _loaded up to the nose_ with _Level Five_ technology and we have _little_ time before we can rescue a prisoner who can't even _walk!_", he glanced at the calm Kanou-a who continued to study Kevin in awe, before turning back to Ben and the girls, "So why don't you cut the conversation crap and try and get this guy outta here?! There's plenty of time to cuddle and fuss over him once we're outta this place that could be our deaths! And I personally wanna live, thank you!"

Kanou-a smiled, ..._Practical, yes; Friend Kevin is also practical. How admirable..._

Ben and the girls shared nervous looks, before Ben spoke to Kevin, "B-but what now?! I can't even use the Omnitrix to break the glass since Kanou-a said even _his_ power couldn't shatter it! And not to mention I'm saving up in case it times out during a fight with the two dealer-guys!"

Gwen wrung her hands too, "And I'm too low on energy as well! If I tried to overcome the nullifying glass, then it'll take a whole lot more manna, and then I'll be not only drained, but physically exhausted as well!"

Julie pulled out her cellphone that transformed in a cute little pet in her hands, "I have Ship! But what should I change him into to help?"

Kanou-a smiled lovingly at the single-eyed Ship squeaking in Julie's hand. "Such adorableness!" Kanou-a remarked, at which Julie blushed in a 'thank you' manner. Gwen too smiled, "Yeah he's cute, isn't he?", and Ben nodded approving, "Yeah, small but cute-"

"AHEM!" Kevin cleared his throat roughly, making them turn their attention to him. He glared at them, "Its not MY boyfriend stuck inside a glass tank, so I can get my ass outta here without a scratch! Want me to? Since I'm not needed in the 'Ship-is-chow-cyoot' discussion anyway!"

"Wait, no, no Kevin!" Ben threw his arms out in a gesture of stopping Kevin who turned to leave, "Sorry! But we have no idea what to do, and we need you, to figure out this Level Five tech stuff!"

Kevin turned back to look at the lot of them four who gazed at him expectantly. Placing one hand on his manly hip, Kevin snapped, "So suddenly, I gotta do everything around here, huh? What happened to the 'Kevin is only the all-brawn-no-brain chauffer of the team'? Or the 'I am Ben Tennyson, I saved the whole entire Universe' crap that always helped you decide how to save the day?" he turned to the girls, "And what happened to the brilliant genius of Gwen Smart-Ass-Genius Tennyson? Or the Ever Smart Julie Yamamoto?"

The three mentioned teens stared back at him in a sort of guilt and helplessness. Kanou-a looked between the raven and the pale three.

Ben, Gwen and Julie glanced sideways at Kanou-a. Kevin caught that, and he huffed, running his fingers up the fringe of his black hair, "SO I guess I'm the only one who's immune to Aqua-Boy's charm enough to not explode the thinking part of my brain!" he shook his head, glaring at them, "What would you idiots do without me?"

There was a small silence hanging in the air as they gathered their confused wits.

Ben smiled hopefully, "Any idea what now?"

Kevin frowned at the glass tank, looking at its edges, and its panes, ignoring the merman who looked at him hopefully (as if he was hell-bent on extracting a smile from Kevin, which was not likely to happen), he then shifted his eyes to Julie who still held the happy oblivious Ship. He turned back to the glass tank, and then started to walk to it.

The closer he came, the more Kanou-a was mesmerised; he was still reeling in the astonishment of their resemblance, and when Kevin had walked close enough Kevin was only a half metre apart from him, it was like gazing into a distorted mirror image of himself. Kanou-a watched as Kevin put his calloused palm out and felt the edges of the tank's metal hinges, calmly contemplating that what could hold the glass could break it too.

Kanou-a gave out a gentle gasp as Kevin's hand suddenly turned shiny silver when he adsorbed the Titanium off the edges. Kanou-a smiled, remembering Ben tell him about Kevin's ability.

Kevin stood back a little, his right hand now shiny Titanium up to the shoulder. He held his right upper-arm with his left hand and concentrated on himself, till his palm and forearm moulded and transformed, into the teeth of a silvery cone-shaped drill. Kanou-a watched in awe as small parts of Kevin's elbows shifted and made concentric circular bands, turning like gears. Kevin gave a small huff of effort, and to the surprise of the four, the forearm-come-drill stared to spin in great speed humming as it did, like a real drilling machine. The three teenagers had never seen Kevin do something like _that _before.

Kevin glanced at the shocked teens, and he turned back to his drill-arm, as he hissed a half-hearted reply, "I do some experimenting and practicing in my free time."

The four beamed proudly at him (Kevin didn't see that) and Kanou-a continued to be awed.

Kevin reared his humming drill-arm towards the glass, but he paused, his eyes now not shunning from capturing Kanou-a's in a blank gaze, "So, Fish-Feet; you got some conditions like 'you need to be in the water constantly or you'd dehydrate' or something?"

Kanou-a smiled, "Well, actually, I do; although I only need to wet my tail every ten minutes, or I would choke and die."

Kevin pushed out his lower lip, "Once we get you outta this tank, where will we put you? We can't just carry a guy your size and fight aliens at the same time! That too, within ten minutes!"

It was unspoken, but they knew that the 'we' Kevin mentioned was actually himself, given he was the one with the brutishly cool super-strength. But he didn't want to openly accept the fact he was ready to carry his love-rival on his back for his unrequited crush.

_Shit, it sounds stupid even in my head!_

Kanou-a grinned, his fangs gleaming inside his perfect mouth, "Not a problem, for I can direct the water around me constantly, using my powers, such that it forms a cocoon around my tail, keeping my tail wet always!"

Kevin raised an eyebrow, not really getting how he could do that, but come on, this guy was a merman. That alone is baffling. Yet he's real, so why not 'cocoon of water around my tail' thing?

Kevin rolled his eyes, and then decided to concentrate on the task at hand. He positioned the tip of the spinning and whirring drill just a few centimetres away from the glass. Kevin then side-glance again as he snapped, "Stand back, you all!" he eyed the curious merman, "or in your case, _swim_ back."

The merman nodded and backed off till he was in a corner, watching with unblinking eyes. Ben and the girls moved back from the tank, too.

Kevin grit his teeth and he pushed the tip into the glass. Several sparks and spirals of white dust along with a drumming drone of buzzing sounds emanated as the spinning drill-arm contacted with the tough glass. Kevin continued to try and push the tip further in, exerting more effort in his arm to make the drill-bit spin faster, but the glass was not penetrated, except for the glass being powdered a little.

"Fuck, I'm just scratching the surface," he hissed, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he pushed his arm more, trying to break in, but it didn't go through. Kevin pulled back the whizzing drill-arm and took a breath, "The glass is too thick and strong."

"What now?" Gwen asked in worry.

Kevin mumbled, "Advanced tech, that's what I need," he turned to Julie, who jumped when Kevin spoke to her, "Toss me Ship!"

Julie nodded and flung her pet from her cupped hands softly into the air, like one sets a bird free. Ship squealed happily as he somersaulted in the air in circles, cart-wheeling till he landed gently on Kevin's outstretched palm. Kevin brought the small alien to his face and whispered a code to it. The four staring observers only heard a series of alphabetical letters and numbers.

Kanou-a's face lit as he watched Ship ready to transform.

Ship jumped happily from Kevin's hand, and suddenly shape-shifted into a weird black-and-green, engine-like contraption, about the size of a shoebox. Kevin placed the engine to his bicep, and it clasped on, bending around the muscular Titanium arm, melding with his drill-arm in places and joints such that it became a part of the drilling 'machine', the drill-bit now a mix of silver, black and green spirals; it looked stylish even.

"Ok, let's do this," Kevin finalised, pressing at a particular switch on the Ship-motor. Immediately, the four spectators gasped as the drill-bit spun twice as fast as it had done without Ship, while green electric sparks sprinkled in power around the tip. "Perfect," Kevin narrowed his eyes on the glass before him, a small smirk playing on his lips, which quickly fell when he noticed to his further right side that Kanou-a trying to have a better look at him while keeping away from the glass as Kevin had asked.

Kevin placed the tip of the drill-bit on the glass at a spot that was in level with his chest.

Sparks flew in great numbers as the drill-bit penetrated the glass a little, Kevin narrowed his eyes, his mind reminding him that they had to do this quick for they had not much time, so he pushed further, and not satisfied with the pace, he whispered another code at Ship-engine, which gave a cute chortle. Immediately, while still clasped to Kevin's drill-arm, Ship-engine upgraded to a slightly bigger version, the drill-bit now had jagged edges and sharper tip.

"Woah," Ben and the girls mumbled, as the new drill-bit dug deeper. Not satisfied even now, Kevin whispered yet another code at Ship-engine, that yet again upgraded to a larger version. Kevin repeated this process again and again, till he had the coolest monstrosity of an engine perched on his powerful bicep, drilling away at the glass that was starting to take wear.

The three teenagers just stared at wide open mouths, seeing the cool tech on the raven's arm at his command, and seeing Kevin being so wrought in his work.

Kanou-a blinked in a daze as the teenager showed strength not proportionate for one his age, but he shouldn't be surprised, for Ben had already given him good details of Kevin's abilities. But to watch it unfold before his very own eyes was another experience altogether, as Ben had added, and how true he was.

"Bingo," Kevin hissed with a snarl at the glass (as if he had won a match against it), as the tip got through the glass finally.

"Yay!" the three cheered, and Kanou-a smiled in relief.

Kevin drilled more, the water from within was starting to protest and drip from the sides of the circular hole. Soon, streams and jets of water were shooting out the sides, sprinkling at Kevin's arm, while Kanou-a could feel the drop in the water pressure. Once a decent fist-sized hole was made, Kevin removed the drill-bit with a rough tug, stepping aside to watch the thick curving shaft of water spilling out in great force. He knew the glass was tough enough to not shatter as the water shot out, so he didn't have to fear about exploding glass pieces.

Kevin lowered his heavy tech-loaded arm at his side, swiping off the sweat from his forehead, till the water-level reached below the hole and hence stopped flowing out. Kanou-a popped his head up the new water level, so that he was now breathing air. Wiping his face, he beamed at Kevin, who only returned his blank stare. When Kanou-a made to swim towards the hole, Kevin stopped him with the words, "Wait, I'm not done yet!"

Kanou-a paused, and nodded, backing into his corner again.

Kevin unplugged Ship-engine off of his arm. The Galvanic Mechomorph reverted back into his small cute self, bounding from Kevin's palm to perch on Kevin's shoulder. Kevin gave it a pat with his left hand, whispering, "Good job. Now go to Julie and take a time-out."

The little creature squeaked, "Ship, Ship!" before jumping off the strong shoulders to bound away into Julie's arms, and she cuddled him and praised him for his work.

Kevin shape-shifted his Titanium drill-arm into his Titanium human hand again. Staring at the hole he has created, he reached out and placed his unadsorbed palm on the glass for support. Curling his Titanium fingers into a fist, he pulled back and then swung a powerful punch at the glass, right at the edge of the hole. The glass broke and shattered in shards of triangles and diamonds; small, medium and large bits falling everywhere, water spilling out through wherever it could.

Kanou-a gasped in astonishment, not because of the great force of the punch, but because a _human_ was wielding it.

The glass pane remained with a gaping jagged opening. Kevin de-adsorbed his Titanium coating that had peeled and chipped during the punch, deeming it useless to keep the coating. Gripping at the edges of the opening he had smash-created, Kevin tore at the glass, and ripped it off, the water gushing out and washing his thighs and feet, till that wall of the tank was no more.

Kanou-a now sat at the corner of an empty tank, whose one wall had been barbarically torn off.

Kevin backed off, huffing in soft panting. He had vented some of his bottled-up anger on the deed, so it felt good to finally be smashing and breaking things. But a small pounding his hand made him look down at his right hand, to see several shards of glass biting into the skin of his palm, causing many cuts and bruises, and dribbles of blood leaking at his knuckles. Shrugging since he was used to physical pain enough to not even respond to it, he lowered his hand and looked up to watch how the others reacted.

Ben was beaming like an idiot, Gwen and Julie were holding their breaths; Kanou-a was shifting. Ben made to run to him, but Kanou-a spoke, "Wait, love! Do not come hither, you will be hurt by the glass pieces. I shall get up myself, and come to _you!_"

Ben nodded, while the girls held hands and giggled at the word 'love'.

Kanou-a looked out at the floor that was covered in a thinning layer of water and glass, that had spilled from the tank. He put out both his hands and blinked with his blue eyes. The teens watched a spiral of water rise from the thin layer of water; it was curling up into the air, directed by Kanou-a's hands.

The way Kanou-a had both his hands raised out and watching the spiral, he looked like a snake-charmer making a lifeless rope snake up from a basket.

The spiral rose up till it was taller than Kevin, and just as wide. It bent, snaking towards Kanou-a till it slithered around the merman, splitting into tendrils curling around his waist and tail. Kanou-a willed the water to hoist him off the glass floor of the tank. The teens watched as the merman was pulled out of the tank.

Once out, Kanou-a let go of most of the spiral of water, letting it drip to the floor, and only maintained a small amount that spun around and around his tail in a cocoon, such that his tail was constantly hydrated. With his other abilities gained after he matured, he hovered in the air with his tail fins on the ground, as if standing on legs. He was now exactly Kevin's height, although he could be taller judging the length of his tail, but he didn't want to belittle his pissed-off 'friend'.

Therefore, Kanou-a did not need to be carried around. And he was a beautiful sight, like chiselled sculpture of marble, with long wet black hair sticking to his headand down along his spine, precious gems shining under the lights, muscles highlighted by the watery sheen, beautiful tapering blue tail with water spinning around it.

He turned to Ben, who did not hold back anymore.

"KANOU-A!"

Kanou-a beamed happily, putting his hands out for a hug as the brunette ran right at him, and jumped into an embrace. Kanou-a smiled happily, winding his strong pale arms around the lithe form of the brunette, who was a head shorter than him. It was odd for the merman, because usually under the water, Ben would be floating with their eyes in level, but now, he saw that Ben was shorter, and it was actually adorable to feel the small body stand on tiptoes, slim warm hands around his neck, Ben's lips and chin pressed to his shoulder.

For Ben, this was nearly ecstasy after all the drama he had been through today. To feel the merman's cool smooth skin against his, and the familiar contours of the body pressed to him, the delicate 'cool warmth' radiating around the being. The height ratio was weird for Ben too, since usually he would be in eyelevel as mentioned, and when they were sitting on the rock at the shore, Kanou-a's height was not so obvious. Now that Ben thought about it, Kanou-a would obviously be tall and he should have expected that; but it was still odd. Not to mention the weird feeling of the layer of water spinning around Kanou-a's tail, now-and-then brushing against Ben's clothes to wet it. But he didn't dwell much on it; he was far too busy drowning in the relief of being in the arms of his lover again.

Kanou-a curled his arms tighter, one hand around the slim waist, one hand snaking up to slip into Ben's soft brown hair, while nuzzling his face lower into the crook of Ben's neck where the shoulder met. Ben responded by hugging Kanou-a closer, fisting one hand into the wet black hair that stuck along the powerful back to the base of the spine.

Kanou-a missed this, even in the short span of time away from him. Ben missed this, due to the small fear that he would never see him again.

As the lovers hugged, the girls (from behind Ben, several feet away) were holding in their giggles and blushes, fidgeting on excited feet, finding it actually cute rather than repulsive.

Neither of the two lovers nor the two girls noticed a seething but silent exhalation from near the tank.

Ben pulled back slowly, such a passionate feeling of relief rising inside of him, that when he saw Kanou-a look down at him with his pretty blue eyes and soft expression, oh-so-close to his face, Ben could not hold back. He lunged forward and placed a chaste kiss on Kanou-a's lips, which the merman responded to sweetly.

The unsuspecting girls, who watched, suddenly had their mouths open, jaws on the floor (metaphorically ofcourse), their eyes wide and faces red in excitement, watching Ben and a Kevin-lookalike lip-lock adorably.

Julie stammered into her best friend's ear even as her brown eyes stared at the kissers, "Psst, Gwen, I had no idea it would be so_...hot,_ to watch two _guys_ do that!"

Gwen nodded stiffly, not taking her eyes off of her cousin and the merman, "T-Touche, Julie!" her cheeks blotching as berry red as her friend's.

Ben meanwhile, cherished the feeling, until his eyes opened a little and over Kanou-a's shoulder he saw Kevin standing away, hunched with his back to them.

Ben slowly pulled his lips away, his face a little ashen in guilt. Kanou-a's blue eyes roamed over Ben's face, questioning the sudden fall in the brunette's eagerness, to see the green irises gazing sadly over his pale shoulder. So Kanou-a turned, to see Kevin with his back to them. The girls now noticed that too. All four of them feeling guilty to see Kevin was obviously hurting while they were rejoicing the kiss.

And Kevin? Well, he grit his teeth, staring at the wall that he now faced, honestly wishing he would drop dead then and there, or dissolve into goo, or maybe have a heart attack to die in a flash. Then and there. Nothing was more painful than this, no matter how many times he chanted to himself that it didn't matter whom Ben kissed and who fondled Ben into a hug, the opposing side of his mind hissed that the 'whom' and 'who' would _never_ be him, Kevin. And that hurt, very, very much.

Feeling his throat trying to choke him, his heart cringing in emotional pain that he hated for making him feel so vulnerable, he did not notice a figure come up to him from behind even though it threw shadows around him, until he felt a cold hand touch his shoulder.

Kevin turned around abruptly, his face dark and pale at the same time, eyes wild only to meet icy blue eyes filled with kindness and friendliness.

"Friend Kevin... I apologize," Kanou-a whispered, "I should have remembered your presence and the feelings you hold for Kirby."

Kevin stared, not sure whether to be freaked out at the mirror-image resemblance that had gotten clearer now that they were standing close, or to be sick that the face he took the pains to appear tough and unfeeling was now radiating with loving concern.

The blue eyes lowered to Kevin's hand and then went up to his face again.

For Kevin, it was like staring at the mirror in a dream (sorry, _nightmare_), where his reflection was distorted to a point his face was the same but his hair was longer, his eyes were blue, he had pointed ears, and he had a tail. A tail, goddamn; a TAIL.

He was suddenly shaken out of his thoughts, when he felt cold fingers touch his hand.

"Da fuck!" Kevin cursed in alarm, when he felt the jelly-cold fingers of Kanou-a's right hand grip the wrist of his own right hand. Kevin stared between the ivory-skinned hand and the ivory-skinned face.

"Don't touch me!" Kevin hissed, tugging at his hand softly enough, expecting to be let go, but Kanou-a didn't move; he maintained his long deep gaze of serene seriousness on the raven. The merman was no longer smiling, so it made the resemblance deeper, and creepier. Kevin frowned darkly, deciding to stop playing slow, and tugged roughly enough to make any guy stumble.

But not Kanou-a.

He was not even flinching, but continued to gaze at Kevin with an unreeling eye-lock. This alarmed Kevin, that the guy was not even budging. Kevin tugged harder, but still no avail, the long-nailed fingers kept their iron-strong but gentle grip on his wrist. Kevin put his left hand on his right arm and used two hands to pull himself away using a tug powerful enough that it could throw any other normal person right against the wall and even_ through_ it, but Kanou-a was not even breaking a sweat. He continued to gaze at Kevin right in the eyes, calm, unmoving.

_Shit, this guy is fucking strong! And he's just holding me by only one hand!_

Kevin seethed, and gave up. Rather than displaying that he was helpless against this guy, it was better to not fight as if he wasn't worth the effort.

Talk about a pride talking.

For a second, the two identical 'twins' only stared at each other, one holding the other's wrist. Ben and the girls, who watched, were rooted to the spot in confusion.

Kanou-a spoke softly to Kevin, "You hurt yourself while you broke the glass to free me, Friend Kevin. You hurt yourself, while _helping_ me; and I never let a help go unappreciated."

Kanou-a then slowly turned his fist such that he upturned Kevin's palm. That was when Ben and the girls saw it from afar. They gasped gently.

Ben and the girls felt terrible; they had not even _noticed_ Kevin's heavily bleeding hand, because they were too busy gaping and 'ooh'ing and 'aah'ing at the merman. Even _them_, Kevin's friends, did not notice it; but Kanou-a, someone Kevin had proclaimed as his 'enemy', did. It made them guilty.

Kanou-a smiled at Kevin, making Kevin sick all the more.

"Physical pain is nothing to me," Kevin's voice was an unintentional whisper, "Not when _you_ have created the _worst_ kinds of pain in my feelings."

Kanou-a felt hurt, immediately, to _hear_ the hurt in the voice like his own. Kanou-a narrowed his eyes in a beseeching manner, and then relaxed, deciding to help rather than talk with Kevin, knowing he wouldn't listen anyway. Kanou-a looked down at the wounded palm. He cupped both his pale hand around Kevin's, making the Osmosian want to barf with the weird involuntarily-warm feelings peaking at the back of his neck.

Kanou-a then held Kevin's hand with his left, and raised his long-nailed right hand over the wounds, and then slowly lifting his pale hand higher. Magically, the shards (that were not even in contact with Kanou-a's fingers) came sliding out of the wounds. Kevin flinched only a millimetre for a millisecond in the small tingle of pain, and watched with a _very_ small amount of undeniable interest as each and every piece of glass lifted out of Kevin's palm. Kanou-a smiled and the pieces of glass melted into the air, into nothingness. Kanou-a then lowered his right hand atop Kevin's. Kevin felt weird to have his hand sandwiched between the merman's hands that (he wanted to deny although he couldn't ) were actually kind of soothing on the skin and even felt good.

Kevin realised the hideously-good feeling was a healing process that Kanou-a was doing on him. Kevin did the big mistake of looking up from his hand enclosed between Kanou-a's, to see the blue eyes that looked so deep and glittery, that he felt his Osmosian defences crumbling. To counter his sudden shock, Kevin frowned deeply, and this actually made Kanou-a smile more.

It seems the merman has taken Kevin's frowns as the brute's way of saying 'thank you'.

Kanou-a then opened his hands, making Kevin look down, already expecting the sight.

It was healed. Healed. His hand was healed, clean, and not even a smidge of blood remained.

Ben and the girls had been watching the whole scene from their position, and they smiled at Kanou-a's helping mentality that refused to back-off no matter how stubbornly hateful Kevin was to him.

Kevin snatched his hand away from Kanou-a's loosened ones, immediately fisting it at his side, his pride glaring in repentance that he could not prevent himself being helped by someone he couldn't stand the sight of.

Kevin frowned at Kanou-a, his breath starting to fasten in the anger, frustration, embarrassment, and small amount of hurt, all that was brewing inside of him. "Your apologies and thanking don't fix _nothing_, Fish-Feet."

"Kanou-a," the merman spoke calmly, "My name is Kanou-a. You seem to have trouble either remembering it, or pronouncing it. Or maybe you are just insulting me, although I find it amusing. But I am not accustomed to being called those colourful names, so do forgive me." Kanou-a smiled.

Kevin stared at him with wild uncomprehending eyes.

_What sort of a jerk smiles when he's insulted?! This is crazy! I hate him! I HATE HIM!_

"I hate you," Kevin voiced his opinion darkly. Ben from his position gasped, the girls paled by several shades. The insulted Kanou-a, however, was completely unaffected.

"I understand," he tilted his head, "Your hatred is born due to our similarity of physique that stabs at your sense of uniqueness, and also due to the fact that I have in possession someone you have also begun to crave. Yes, but I'm sorry, I love Kirby and can do nothing about that, but I wish I could do something to help _you_."

"Why?! Why do you wanna help me?! What's your problem?! Why can't you hate me like I hate you?! I _felt up_ your _boyfriend's crotch!_ Isn't that reason enough for you to hate me?!"

Kanou-a sighed gently, "You only wanted to help Kirby. I do not understand why humans always wish to exaggerate and take deeds in the wrong sense for no reason. You wanted to help Kirby, but fate had you fall in love with him. Why must I hate you for it?"

"What kind of a boyfriend _are _you?!" Kevin snapped in bewilderment, "You are not even _jealous?! Don't you love Ben enough to feel jealous?!"_

"Jealousy is when I doubt my Kirby to have partial feelings of the same intensity he has for me, for someone else. I doubt Kirby would love someone like he does me. So I am not jealous."

"Jealously means you love someone so truly that it hurts to see them with someone else!"

"No. Jealously in love is not a sign of true love, it's a sign of dangerous possessiveness that needs to be curbed. While on the other hand, if one _truly_ loves someone, then they will have enough faith to know that the beloved will never harbour feelings for another. So the jealousy is not possible in true love."

"Don't gimme a lecture about that!" Kevin snapped, hating the sinking feeling that Kanou-a was right, "You're not jealous, but you should at least hate me for touching Ben!"

"Kirby likes you, yes, as a friend whom he does not want to lose. And Kirby's friends are my friends. He adores you, and hence so do I. I cannot hate you, until Kirby does."

"UGHH!" Kevin growled throwing hishands up in the air in frustration, wildly gesturing to Kanou-a wit both his hands as he spoke to Ben who was staring at them, "You're boyfriend's _broken_, Tennyson! You should fix him, 'cause something's _wrong_ with his head! Or did he fuck you so hard he lost his brains?!"

Ben gave out a long sigh, placing a hand on his head in helplessness. Gwen and Julie blinked at the intensity of drama occurring before their very eyes.

Kevin groaned, running his fingers through his hair and then grumbled at the merman, "I'm _sick_ of you! I don't even know why I bothered to come help you!" he glowered at the calm merman, "Or maybe I _do_ know why. I should take the risk of putting my pride in jeopardy by saying that the only _reason_ I came all the way here to rescue you is 'cause I know that Ben won't be happy if you are gone and the part of me that loves Ben, no matter how bad I deny it, doesn't want to see him sad!"

Kevin narrowed his tawny eyes at the merman who looked back, appalled at the amount of hurt and hatred they bore, flashing from within the irises like mad signals.

"Why are you so intent on wanting me to hate you?" Kanou-a asked in dismay.

Kevin glowered in reply. He didn't want to admit that if Kanou-a hated him and wanted get away from him, it would be easier for Kevin to stay away from him as well, rather than have this merman and that idiot Ben clinging and whining about wanting to be his friends and constantly reminding him of his forbidden unrequited feelings. Being with Ben made him think of lusty thoughts, he was even fearing that if left alone with Ben, he might force himself on the innocent brunette, doing something that he would regret for the rest of his life. So if Ben stayed away, or Kanou-a kept him away... it would be easier.

Kanou-a looked confused, "I do not understand, Friend Kevin, for I have done nothing to hurt you nor have I ever even aimed to do so, then why do you hate me - "

"Oh, you've done something to hurt me, alright!" he seethed, stepping towards the merman threateningly, "Maybe Ben would have fallen in love with _me_ if YOU didn't come along!" Kevin hissed his face inches away from the merman's.

Cool blue eyes widened in innocent shock. Kevin and Kanou-a stared at each other, the former huffing a little at the rise in breathing created by revealing a fragile thought like that. Together, the two identical males turned to Ben who looked as frozen as the two girls watching them with wide eyes.

Kevin looked at Ben with a wild glare in his mahogany eyes, wanting to know if what he said could be true.

Kanou-a looked at Ben with confused and questioning indigo irises, wanting to know if what Kevin could be true.

Ben stared at both in return, wanting to know how _the fuck_ was he going to escape this unanswerable situation.

Gwen and Julie, both gazed at the boys, each thinking the same thing: _This would make a great gay novel... maybe we can name it 'Meeting Kanou-a', because thats where this drama starts probably; when Ben met Kanou-a._

Kevin looked away at the walls, cursing under his breath, Kanou-a looked at the floor frowning sadly at the film of receding water, and Ben looked up at the ceiling, sighing while running his fingers through his sweating hair. The girls blinked at each other; the angst in the room was tingling their creative senses.

"C'mon," Ben's voice rose in the air, making them all alert, "Let's get outta this spaceship before we are found by Verymuch and Seamoss, or whatever they are called."

Not bothering to correct Ben's version of 'Veremnos' and 'C-Mexx', Kevin was the first to walk (actually stomp-run) out of the room to the door and out to the corridor. Kanou-a held out a hand at which Ben walked to him and slipped his hand into Kanou-a's. The girls came up behind them and the four walked (in Kanou-a's case, floated) to the door.

Neither of the five were aware of the cameras watching them from the within room the whole while.

- End of chapter -

* * *

**_HAHAHAHAH!_**

**_Ahahahah! Self referencing my own yaoi story, IN my own yaoi story! Fuck, im something! Sheesh! But don't blame me for not thinking right, coz ive been suffering trying to straighten out the scenes and its gotten me mad mad MAD! Sigh, im so tired. Y_Y_**

**_God it was hard to write this down. Its harder thn it looks. Hmmph. And i know its long due, you all have been so supportive and been waiting for updates, and lovely new readers waiting for an update too! :( so sorry for the long wait!_**

**_Hey, loving Justin Timberlake's new song Mirror. :D whn I heard the title, I wanted to crack up coz it reminded me of Kanou-a and Kevin and thier mirorring similarity, but after I heard the song (which I absolutely love) I realised it doesn't go with the topic of 'Kevin and Kanou-a' similarity, but goes with 'Ben and Kanou-a' love. ...Afterall, the storys mainly all about Benou-a! and maybe teh song matches BeVin too. but not with Kevinou-a... (god tht sounds so wrong! but hey Kevinoua sounds like Cassanova! bwahahahah! the irony! hahaha! ok, i seriously need to go lie down -_-)_**

**_anyway... also the song Mirror is identical in beats to the Justin's Timberlake's Cry Me a River, which also I love :) yay! Just saying, coz Mirror could be a nice background music for this chapter :P not the lyrics but maybe the music and how its sung, so emotional sniff sniff! :D_**

**_[I wasn't exactly pleased with Suit and Tie though, its... a kinda weird song, that one. :-/]_**

**_So anyway... review ppllleeeeesssseee!_**


	15. Found and Trapped in the Office

**oh wow! im nearing a 100 reviews! GAAAAAH! so soon?! im speechless! O_O**

**well, lemme see whos the hundredth reviewer (yeah im counting closely heehee)! :D i dunno how i can feature the lucky person as a guest appearance in my story but, i'll think of something, i always do! hehe! :)**

**ok, and um, just saying, many of you are pining and whining abt me torturing poor kevvy (bad me!) but its a part of the story guys, bear with it! (sweatdrop) and also I rememeber there was this Guest by the name 'Hrmm' who has given me a review that goes "**since this looks like it's rapidly developing into a BenxOC fic, why not just remove kevin's character filter?**" and he/she also added in another review "**kanou-a needs more depth, so far he's just "generic goodguy OC that's also royalty" add some conflict to his character**" and these two reviews were for chapter 3. At that time, it pissed me off so bad I nearly had a writers block, but I gave it some serious thot and i realised tht its natural a reader wud be questioning of that. so now, on the 15th chapter, I CUD be screaming out in victory whilst brandishing my middle finger, "Hrmm, or shit, or whoever the fuck you are, I HOPE URE HAPPY NOW!" but im actually a good girl so im just going to say, "I hope you have waited to read this fic till now, so u have got the answer! (wearing Kanou-a's smile) or maybe u already are reading this fic in another guest-name? And I hope now u feel Kanou-a has some depth in his character as much as u wanted it! Do lemme know so I can improve!"**

**moving on, thnk you, Kanouxben, and its ok if ur phone was suddenly very uncooperative to send your review, but atleast you did send one now rite? :D thnk you for loving my story! :) :) :) :)... i think i should stop smiling before i tear up, sniff sniff.**

**you guys are so sweet! *v*, yes even you Hrmm. ;)**

**warning: this story contains: yaoi/ boys love/ gay romance/ and angst/ and bxkfreaky-synchronised action. thnk you. (i suck at fight sequences)**

**disclaimer: i no way in hell own ben ten alien force. if man of action is reading this for fun somewhere out there, im sure they are rolling around laughing at my ingenuity. -_-**

* * *

_**Meeting Kanou-a**_

_**Chapter fifteen: Found and Trapped in the Office**_

The corridors were dark, and somehow, they could see well. Kevin walked gingerly, pressed to the wall in case any robots appeared and spotted them. Behind him tiptoed Ben, and behind Ben floated Kanou-a, and then came the girls; all four following the muscular raven who told them when to stop and when to continue walking.

After a while, they were hiding in a small store-room filled with old guns and dusty boxes. (When a group of armed Alphan Metrons calmly walked towards the spot they had been walking in, they were forced to hurriedly retreat into the nearest room, which was this one.) It was large , dusty, and a little dark and dingy, but it gave them ample time to relax from the tiptoe-ing and think things out for a change.

Gwen was still stumped as she stared at the thin layer of water that was continuously and silently spinning around Kanou-a's tail and the merman was not even giving much effort into it. She wondered how he could manage a powerful spell like that, and that too without the need to concentrate on it. And that he was actually hovering in the air with his tail fins dragging on the ground, it looked like he was just a Cosplayer in a merman's costume, where the legs are just wrapped in shiny cloth. Marvellous.

Kanou-a felt the green-eyed gaze of the female so he turned to his right, seeing Gwen's eyes curiously watching his tail. He smiled good-naturedly, and whispered, "Is there something you wish to know, Cousin Gwen?"

Gwen looked up, blushing that her ogling had been discovered. Julie looked over from Gwen's other side, curious as to what the conversation was about. Ben turned to them too, while Kevin maintained his watch on the corridor from a slit on the door, as if not caring, but his ears were easily listening to them.

Gwen whispered, "Uh, yeah; uh, how do you manage to keep that cocoon of water intact without putting much of your concentration into effort?"

Kanou-a smiled, "I'm afraid I do not know, Cousin Gwen, for it is as natural to me as walking is for a human; although I'm still learning in order to improve more!"

"Oh! ...Ok," Gwen blinked in awe, "You already are really good, though, if I may add!"

Kanou-a chuckled, "Why, thank you! But there is always room for improvement, is there not? And my brothers are teaching me how to harness my new powers to the best, so I am still a novice, I'm afraid!"

Julie raised an eyebrow casually, "_New_ powers? So you didn't have any _before?_"

Kanou-a beamed at the Japanese girl, "I did, but only in minimal amount that needs to be strengthened. Till then I could only do small spells and control my main element of water alone, that too, in restricted forms. But thanks to Kirby," he looked sideways at Ben who blushed blotches of deep pink, "... I have obtained the true extent of my powers. So I can now harness the powers of water, fire, air and lightning, but I still need training for that, in order to be as powerful as my elder brothers. So far, I am quite skilled at my water and air abilities."

Kevin rolled his eyes from his position at the door. _Seriously, we're trying to save our asses here, and they wanna interview the merman!_

Gwen and Julie blinked at Kanou-a with wide astonished eyes. Then, Gwen raised a frail eyebrow as her face sported a confused look, and Kanou-a spoke, "If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer them for you."

Gwen smiled and nodded, "Ok, then I do have a few doubts," she blinked, "How did_ Ben_ help you obtain your powers to the full extent?"

"Kirby helped me mature."

"Uh, 'mature'?"

Kanou-a smiled innocently, tilting his head as if it was the easiest thing in the world to answer, "Yes, when a merman has his first sexual intercourse, he matures. Same for the females and androgynous kind."

Gwen and Julie froze. Ben's face turned beet-red. Kevin froze with his eyes on the corridor but with his attention on the conversation.

Kanou-a blinked at the sudden stilling silence in the air, and asked them, "Is something wrong?"

Ben shook his head violently.

Julie (blushing sakura-pink) gaped at Ben, "So, you really DID have _sex_ under the sea? With _Kanou-a?!"_

Ben sighed, looking away, "Did I look like I was joking when I said that?" at which, Julie lay her back against the wall in a daze. Ben cleared his throat trying to sound professional and unflustered, "Um, for merpeople, on the day they lose their virginity, their powers get unlocked and that's what's called 'maturing'." He scratched the back of his neck, seeing Kevin's figure (who had his back to them) tense a little. "So, a few days ago, uh, I guess I 'helped' him unintentionally, uh, yeah."

Gwen and Julie looked at each other, their faces reddened at the cheeks. Turning back to Ben, Gwen asked, "Wait a minute..._under_ the sea? Isn't that sorta, impossible? How did you breathe down there? Especially while doing _it?_" she looked confused, as images formed in her head making her blush even more.

Ben smiled, placing a hand to his tanned clavicle, "Kanou-a put a spell on me that lets me breathe underwater. That's how we went swimming for long hours in the afternoons."Kanou-a smiled at him, and curled an arm around him gently.

Kevin grumbled something under his breath, freezing in doubt whether the girls heard, but relaxed when he realised they didn't.

"Wow..." the girls breathed. Gwen's eyes slowly travelled to Kanou-a's waist, wondering where and how he had the 'equipment' on him, when Kanou-a grinned giving her the answer to her unvoiced question, "My penis is retractible."

Again, the Human, the Anodite and the Osmosian froze solid at their positions, their lower-eyelids twitching oddly in embarrassment, while flustered Ben sighed at Kanou-a's honesty.

Gwen chuckled nervously, "That was unexpected, although I _should _have expected it," she wore a stupid smile as she rubbed at her arm idly trying to ease the tension in the air. "So... uh," she then brightened and looked up at Kanou-a, "It must feel great to have your powers unleashed, right?"

"Indeed! I had felt so ecstatic! Not only do I have more control over the elements, but my swimming, hearing and hunting abilities were enhanced as well. The transition was rather empowering!"

Ben added, "He didn't have these cool fins or those pointy ears or those fangs before the maturing," he pointed at the said areas of Kanou-a's physique.

"Oh," Julie remarked, "So is that how you recognise whether a merperson is a virgin or not? So, if they don't have fins, they are virgins?"

Kanou-a nodded.

Gwen then asked, "So, your brothers train you? How many do you have?"

Kevin rolled his eyes, _She's gonna write a book about him or what?_

Kanou-a smiled happily, "Yes, they train me, they are much more powerful than I am. I have three elder brothers; Kaprosca, Koniel and Ke-inno, and I am the youngest."

Kevin looked over his shoulder at the lot of them. _Good luck remembering those_ _names. Hmmph._

In contrast to Kevin's mental opinion, Gwen and Julie beamed, "Such pretty names!" making Kanou-a chuckle softly, "Yes, they _are_ beautiful names indeed; and if I may not be mistaken for being vain, I would like to add that my brothers are as beautiful as their names."

The girls beamed more, trying to imagine three mermen who looked like Kanou-a's brothers, and nearly ended up obtaining a nosebleed as a result of their overactive imaginations.

"Are they all married?" Julie asked eagerly, "Do they have kids?"

Kanou-a nodded, "Yes, my brothers are married, but the offsprings are not easy to conceive. So it may take another year or so for Brother Kaprosca to be a father. But yes, they are all married...all except me." He side-glanced at Ben, who side-glanced back at him. They had nearly forgotten the topic of the mating dilemma since the Kevin-drama. Very much of a blessing curse as it turns out?

Before Kanou-a's mind could go spiralling downwards in despair of his failure to mate with anyone else, a soft sound startled the conversationalists. It was Kevin, shooing his hand at them while still having his back to them.

"Shh! Shut up you all! Someone's coming nearby!"

They all immediately zipped their lips shut, waiting in bated breath as Kevin watched through the slit in the door. It was C-Mexx, with his head held high, walking along the corridor with an electronic clipboard held in one hand and a small gadget in the other. He passed the room silently without even a twitch of suspicion whether he was being watched from the store room that he passed. When he walked away, till only a silhouette of the red head was seen, Kevin let out a sigh of relief. The others relaxed too.

Then Kevin frowned. It was almost as if the robots and the dealers knew they had busted Kanou-a out, but were avoiding or ignoring them. Kevin felt an odd sinking feeling pounding in his chest, a sign that something was wrong. He didn't like it, and he wanted to get out of this place as fast as possible.

Meanwhile, the others got back to talking, much to Kevin's chagrin.

Gwen voiced another doubt, the girls now resembling two journalists taking quick interviews with a celebrity who smiled so sweet at them. "Uh, Kanou-a, is it true that mermaids and mermen lure human pirates into the sea with their charm, and then kill them by drowning them? We read so, but since this is just a part of our fantasy, there are _many_ adaptations of the legend and we would like to know if it's true!"

Kanou-a laughed softly, "Well, that's quite absurd really, to lure a human into the sea and drown them for no absolute reason. But, although there is no such custom, it depends on the merperson, whether they have want revenge, or such, from the humans. But we try our best to curb such activities in our kingdom; humans are kept away from our inhabitation at all possible costs, and the merpeople try not to ever even _meet_ one."

The girls nodded slowly as they processed the given information.

Kanou-a suddenly sighed, tilting his head towards the ground with a sad smile, "It is the _one_ rule that I have broken quite readily, unfortunately. What a traitor I am!"

Gwen and Julie let out sympathetic sounds. They each placed a hand on the pale smooth skin of the merman's right shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Fate has its diabolical turns, Kanou-a," Gwen smiled.

And Julie seconded her opinion, "It does its job of startling us, and we do _our_ job of living it."

Kanou-a looked up from his gaze on the floor and fixed his expressive blue eyes on the girls. "Thank you, you are both rather wise."

The girls immediately blushed, taking their hands away.

Kevin was near to developing a headache from rolling his eyes too much! _Ugh_, Kevin stifled a groan. _It's like he's made of sugar, and speaks honey, and breathes sunshine, and barfs rainbows!_

Kanou-a however sighed again, "But I set a bad example for my people; not only have I _met_ a human _and_ fallen in love with him, but I had also refused a mating ceremony because I could not touch another person in the manner I do Kirby. And no one in our history has _ever _refused a mating ceremony. I fear the day when I have to step up to my position of ruling the area of the ocean given to me, for when my subjects would look up to me, all I can ever say is I broke the traditions,... twice!"

The girls let Kanou-a's words sink in, feeling sympathy for his Romeo-problem, and then all of a sudden, they froze. Kevin from his peeking position at the door froze at the same time too. They had just realised something.

"Wait, what?!" the two females asked in confusion, "Position of _ruling?_"

Ben gave out a snort of laughter and grinned, "Oh right, you guys didn't know? Kanou-a is the Water Prince of the Ocean." Ben flashed a victorious grin at them as if to say 'yeah, my boyfriends a prince!'

Julie squeaked in surprise, and Gwen jumped, both with their eyes as wide as saucers. Kevin whipped his head to the side and looked over his shoulder in surprise too.

"A-a _P-prince?!_" the girls gasped. Each female looked down at her hand that had a moment ago casually patted a_ prince_ on the shoulder. They looked up, feeling dread creep up their tummies. Sure, they had met several Kings and Princes and royalties from different planets and Galaxies during their missions. But something about Kanou-a demanded attention the moment the label 'prince' had been stapled to him. The refined manners, the wise countenance, and suave understanding, it now clearly explained that he came from a royal family.

Kanou-a laughed at them in superb confusion, "Well now, what's the matter? Is it something bad to be a prince? Or to touch one?"

Ben shook his head sagely, "C'mon girls, he's not gonna _curse_ you to a dungeon for touching him or being casual with him!"

Kanou-a's face lit up, "Oh I see!" he turned to the girls again, smiling at them cheerfully, "You need not worry, Cousin Gwen and Friend Julie! You are now my closest friends, and this bond will go beyond the status we set over ourselves! I do not want you to bow to me or behave respectfully, I only want you to be yourselves, the same you are to Kirby. I have never felt so normal and at ease before, ever since I met humans like you. I hope you understand?"

Gwen and Julie nodded, not able to digest the fact that it was the _super-hot Prince of the Ocean _who had just called them 'Cousin' and 'Friend', respectively.

Kevin blinked, _Ok, so he's royalty. So what? He still stole Ben from me, I don't give a damn about his lineage! That goody-two shoes jerk._

Something suddenly snapped from inside the girls.

Gwen turned to Julie, gasping, "Hey, Julie! He's a merman Prince! Who met a human and fell in love! It's just like the remix of The Little Mermaid movie! Aaah!" and in reply, Julie gave out an open-mouthed grin, "Oh my goodness, _it is!_ How _romantic!_ Aaah!"

Kanou-a stared in confusion at the suddenly giggling girls hugging each other in a sort of frenzied excitement. Kevin looked over his shoulder and hissed at them, "_Shut_ up before someone hears you!" but the girls went on whispering and chuckling at each other as if they hadn't heard him.

Kanou-a blinked at the sudden transition in the females. "I am _so _confused, I do not understand," Kanou-a sighed in defeat of trying to figure out the girls' reaction. Ben patted him on the shoulder, adding, "I'm with ya, buddy. Never did understand them females."

"Oh damn no!"

Hearing the Osmosian's voice, the four turned to see Kevin, whose back had frozen stiff as he stared out the slit in the door. Immediately, the fun and laughter in the air died to replace a tingling silence laced with worry.

"What's wrong, Kevin?"Gwen's nasally voice whispered.

Kevin breathed heavily, "Ok, its panic-time! The robots outside are gesturing to this room! I think they need to fetch some equipment from this _very, same, goddamn_ room!"

"Then they'll find us!"Julie whispered in fear, "So much for sneaking out of the spaceship! What'll we do?!"

"Then we'll fight them!"Ben spoke determined, and frowned, looking down at his left wrist, "I guess it's time I used my Omnitrix!"

"But wait! _I _can't fight!" Gwen gasped throwing her hands around wildly, and they all turned to her at which she added, "I'm still drained out of enough manna to fight! I can't combat with _Metron _robots in this state!"

Kanou-a blinked questioningly, not understanding what she meant. Ben was the one to answer his mental doubt in rapid words, "Gwen used up a lot of energy from the shore when she restored my health when I was breaking down in depression!"

Kanou-a nodded at Ben and turned to the Anodite, who wrung her hands in fear. Kevin remained in place, peering out at the corridor and the robots, still watching for any signs of Lady Luck smiling down at them. But the robots seemed to be ready to walk towards the room, so Kevin realised that the Lady Luck had _smirked_ down at them and showed them her middle finger.

"Fuck, we're screwed!" Kevin gave the verdict, and looked over his shoulder at his group of friends behind him.

Suddenly Kanou-a moved to Gwen, standing in front of her, making her move back in surprise. She still remembered that he was a _prince_, and that fact stuck up her throat even though Kanou-a had lovingly asked her to forget treating him that way.

Kanou-a put out his pale hands, palms up, "Cousin Gwen, give me your hands."

Gwen gasped in confusion, her green eyes shyly gazing up at the blue ones on the Levin-identical face. Kanou-a smiled reassuringly, "Our magic may not be the same, but I can assure you _my_ magic has extreme regenerative properties to an extent that it can even revive _other _forms of magic as well. I can rejuvenate you, please let me help, as a way of thanking you for rejuvenating Kirby! Hurry!"

Gwen gaped, and looked at Ben who gave her a thumbs up; he was already ready with a hand over his Omnitrix. Julie had pulled out Ship, ready to make him into the Powersuit. A bit away, Kevin was adsorbing a glistening black metal from the wall. Gwen turned her face to Kanou-a realising that she would have to accept the offer in order to help save the princely merman in return.

She nodded quickly and put out her hands. Kanou-a took her slim Tennyson hands in his and turning them up, such that now her palms faced up and his faced down. She blushed at the soothing feeling of his cool merman skin on her warm hands held palm-to-palm, immediately feeling a concentration of that 'weird' manna that emanated off the merman. Kanou-a's blue eyes glowed eerily as Gwen's widened in hypnotised fascination; she felt a soothing surge travel into her fingers like tendrils. It got bigger and crept up her wrist, up her hands, up her arms; the feeling was amazing, it was like downing a glass of cold water during a parching heat wave, it was like feeling the coldness gush down the dry throat, soothing as it went.

Kevin panicked, he could see through the slit in the door that the armed robots approaching. Fast.

Gwen , with her hands still in Kanou-a's, felt herself energised and powerful even, with her green eyes suddenly glowing a hot pink as she felt her Anodite powers fully restored and activated. Kanou-a smiled, his own eyes shining ice-blue as he finally completed the half-a-minute regeneration. He slowly pulled away his hands, a few strands of blue-and-pink sparks whizzing in the gap between their palms, till he moved back.

Gwen remained frozen as she then closed her glowing eyes and gathered her senses, letting the return of her powers sink into her. She was feeling infact _twice_ as powerful as she had been _before_ she was drained! Kanou-a had not just regenerated, but enhanced her powers as well!

She finally opened her eyes, grinning.

"Awesome!" she gasped energetically, "I'm back, people!" she fisted her hands in a combat pose, hands enclosed in her iconic fluorescent-pink manna disks. The other three teenagers gave out a sigh; it had to be admitted that when Gwen was around, fights got easier.

Kevin pushed out his lower lip. _Ok, and I also gotta admit that Ben's fish-guy is good at this._

Kanou-a beamed, but the smile didn't last long when Kevin suddenly gave out a shriek of curses as he jumped backwards; the door had been blasted open. Whipping around, Kanou-a saw numerous shiny maroon-and-black 'creatures' (robots) aiming 'objects' (guns) at the five of them.

A flash of green came, and Kanou-a recognised it as Ben going into his hero-mode.

"Swaaaauuumpp-faaayyyyyaaaarr!" the hero bellowed in his usual introductive war-cry. Kanou-a saw that instead of Ben, there now stood a green creature with an upturn hairdo of red, and he radiated of fire and warmth.

Kanou-a was immediately surprised when a formation was made; manna-energised Gwen and Powersuited Julie automatically stood protectively on either sides of Kanou-a with their hands outstretched and ready, while metal-coated Kevin and fired-up Swampfire stood in front of the prince to avoid any forward attacks, all four of them in their combat poses; this was a reflex that the teenagers had developed, a formation that they didn't need to communicate with each other to make, for they have been protecting people, citizens and officials for a while and it had become so common that it was now a well-weaved reflex.

Kanou-a was astonished how the formation demonstrated close-knit bond between the four teens. It made him feel warm and happy, even though he had enough power to take down a hundred of these Metrons once he understood how they worked.

And then the fight started as the robots swarmed into the store room.

Kevin and Swampfire got to work knocking down Metrons who seemed to put up only a little fight to their secret irritation. The girls shielded off the raining bullets from the robots that streamed into the room. Kanou-a stood in the middle of the formation, too stunned to move. He also suspected that any unexpected move from his side would tamper with the efforts of the four teenagers.

A robot who fell near him happened to brush its arm against Kanou-a's tail. He jumped and looked down at it, blinking. As the commotion around him got louder, this was his chance to analyse what the robot were on the inside. He remembered Ben telling him about robots being lifeless machines that were created to obey the commands given to them. If the merman knew how they worked, it would be easy for him to participate in the fight later on, in case they wanted his help. He bent low and knelt on the floor at his 'knee' (which was a flexible bend in his tail where a human's knee would be), he reached out and caught the broken and half-working robot by its metal shoulders. Kanou-a's eyes glowed as he let his powers scan the creature, and he realised that it had absolutely no life in it, but had a queer bluish core at the centre of its chest that probably was it's energy source. He was suddenly jolted when the robot's black eyes glowed with a dot of red each and it raised an arm to hit him, but Kanou-a dropped his grip on it's shoulders so it fell back and went to 'off' mode again, limp and dead.

Meanwhile, Kevin punched three of the maroon bots in one go, and spun around to make sure his friends were alright. Swampfire had just charred one of the bots before turning to Kevin, speaking in his deep Methanosian voice, "Kevin, we shouldn't be wasting-" he punched a Metron right on the face as watched it topple backwards, "- our time fighting these! We should get outta here while we can!"

Kevin nodded wildly, turning back to look and Gwen and Julie doing a good job of protecting Kanou-a who looked awed and wide-eyed rather than freaked-out and scared at the fight-commotion.

Kevin shouted to Swampfire, "Clear out the door!" at which Swampfire shot at the doorframes with hot blasts of fire, making it irregularly wider and larger for easy escape, while Kevin kept the bots off of him as he did so. Swampfire then flung several seeds around him, which sprouted out into vines that he made to grow curling inwards, locking half of the robots to the walls, clearing a passage in front of them to the door.

"Kevin, get Kanou-a!" the Methanosian bellowed, kicking an escaping robot away from himself and elbowing one in the abdomen at the same time.

Hearing the command from the Hero, Kevin blindly ran towards the girls and gestured at them to follow him, as he suddenly grabbed Kanou-a's cold wrist, surprising the merman who was shocked at how fast the teens were responding to each other's half-spoken commands. Kanou-a felt his other hand being grabbed by Julie. Kevin pulled Kanou-a with him as he ran towards Swampfire who took off for the open gape at the doorframe the moment he felt Kevin was just behind him to catch up. Kanou-a looked behind himself, to see Gwen was at the end of the human chain, keeping a shield behind herself to protect them from being shot at the back.

The running Swampfire had both his hands outstretched, making the vines he had previously grown to grow along the corridor with him, on his right and left sides, to keep his forward path cleared from more approaching Metrons. Those bots that interfered were pinned to the walls by the rapidly growing vines and tendrils. Behind the alien hero was Kevin who ran whilst he shielded his face with his free arm from flying sparks as Swampfire threw fireballs at those robots that dodged his vines. Kanou-a (who zoomed as Kevin pulled at him) only could let himself be led by the sprinting Osmosian, while Julie held his other pale hand, shooting at the robots to protect _her_ sides of the human chain by the guns that Ship formed as a part of her suit. At the end of the chain, Gwen did her job of protecting the rear by whacking away any extra robots.

The teen-and-merman-chain ran along the corridors, and noticed a decline the amount of Metrons lurching at them.

"Where's, (huhff), the exit, (huhff), Kevunh?!" Swampfire panted as he ran. Kevin pointed wildly to his right with his free hand, so when Swampfire reached a fork in the corridors, he steered to his right and the human chain behind him followed.

This went on for a bit; them weaving in and out corridors, running to avoid bots that swarmed in from everywhere. Panic and fear was starting to trickle into the teenagers' courage. Somehow, they hoped some miracle would help them out.

But fate had other plans. Like always.

At a particular instant, Swampfire gave out a shriek of terror as the Omnitrix gave its warning beep; the Universal Symbol of Peace at his chest was flashing red.

"Shit!" two boys swore together as a flash of red came, surprising Kanou-a who had not seen the Omnitrix time-out before. Ben soon replaced Swampfire; the slight form of the short brunette's feminine physique was a sharp contrast to the large bulky fighter he had been a second ago. Kevin swore under his breath as he ran after the nimble Ben who turned his brunette head left and right, desperate for his eyes to catch any escape routes or any windows. Mysteriously for them, all windows of the corridors were sealed shut with metal shutters, which they guessed was recent because they had _snuck_ _in_ to the spaceship through an_ open_ window in the first place.

Ben ran around a bend in the corridors and suddenly gasped in terror, stopping his run and slowing down the inertia to a skid. Kevin, Kanou-a, Julie and Gwen followed, their eyes wide as they stared at the swarm of robots coming _towards_ them from the other end of the corridor. They turned around, and behind them the same number of bots were swarming in. Trapped, they looked at each other, sweating in panic and effort. They all turned to their hero, who frantically looked around just as helplessly with green darting eyes.

"We're toast!" Ben and Kevin gasped together.

The robots zoomed closer and closer, while the five backed each other and huddled into a group, Kanou-a in the middle, the others in their combat poses around him, ready to fight even though they knew they had lost.

Something weird happened then. The robots, instead of attacking them, only pushed against them in a large mass like swarming ants, as much as the corridor's width could take, the metal machines shuffling around, shoving and tugging at the five oddly, like the milling crowd in a fun-fair.

"What the fuck, man! Ow!" Kevin groaned loudly as the sharp shoulders of several tall robots bumped painfully against him. More cries, 'ouch'es, 'yeow's and 'hey's came from the others, while Kanou-a's clear Levin-voice could be heard politely shouting in bafflement, "What_ ever_ in the world is happening!"

It was as if the robots had their brains rewired and meshed up in confusion or as if their circuit chips had fused over, for they were buzzing and hissing and shoving around, while the teenagers in their confusion hadn't noticed that they were being cleverly manoeuvred into a particular direction, and towards a particular room.

Kevin yelped as he found his body pushed up against a closed metal door, and he felt Kanou-a's muscular chest pressed to his back, several spiky objects biting into his spine through his shirts. Kevin gnashed his teeth, "Your stupid necklace hurts, man!" at which Kanou-a could only give out an incoherent noise in pain because the raw gems were digging into his chest too; Ben was shoved against his marine-behind while the girls were crushed at his either arms.

A moment later the metal door (that Kevin was pressed to) opened.

"Woah!" came the Osmosian's shout; in the force of being pushed in by the milling crowd of robots, and loss of balance he didn't have in the first place, Kevin tumbled into the room that the door was a part of; wildly waving his arms while his staggering legs carried him forward to avoid falling flat on his face. Behind him, Kanou-a was pushed in roughly who zoomed to a smooth skid, Ben and the girls followed in staggering stances. The robots remained outside, still shuffling in confusion and some sort of robotic conundrum.

The five gave out exhausted pants, nearly losing their oxygen from being cooped up in the tight robot-cocoon of tall metal-framed machines. They jumped in surprise as the door behind them shut suddenly, leaving only them in the room.

"Whu- (huff), whu- (huff), whuh juss happened?!" Ben panted loudly, supporting his hands on his knees as he bent double to catch his breath. Kevin held his dizzy head with two hands as he answered, "Lets, (huff) lets see,... we were just (huff) cornered in and cattled up by (huff) robots that were supposed to be killing us!"

"Doesn't make, (huff), sense at all!" Gwen added, swiping the sweat off her forehead, while Julie who supported against her, groaned clutching her stomach, "I, (huff), nearly had a, (huff), heart attack when they, (huff) came at us, but they, (huff); ... it's like as if, (huff), they mocked us by not, (huff), capturing us!"

They caught their breaths after making agreeing noises to Julie's comment. After a minute or so, when they had recovered enough to speak without huffing in between, Kevin looked around the large room. It was like a large office, with the walls panelled in white and black. A jet-black desk sat across from them, it was long and large, filled with gadgets and other paraphernalia. The walls had odd electronic devices, and a few drawings that looked like plans of buildings or cities. There was another door across from the teens on the opposite wall, possibly leading to either another corridor or an inner chamber.

The teens stood rooted at their spots, and looked around with wandering eyes, wondering what to do next.

A sudden noise from behind startled them, and they all gasped at the same time. Turning around, they saw the door (that they had been pushed through) was bolting itself shut, with gears and clicks sounding, till the hum of laser finished off the locking.

"What the...?" Ben raised an eyebrow at the locked door as did his friends, when suddenly another smooth voice sounded.

"Welcome to my spaceship, Ben Tennyson."

The five of them turned around simultaneously, to see that out of nowhere, Veremnos had appeared in the room, leaning stylishly against the tabletop of that jet-black desk, one leg crossed over the other at the ankles, hands resting on the table-top for support. He smirked at the lot that stood several feet away from him. His silvery hair shone in the lighting, as did the navy-blue tight-suit he wore, hugging his slim frame. His ivory eyes glinted maliciously at them.

Kevin and Kanou-a sported identical looks of hatred, nearly snarling at the figure. Ben frowned in displeasure, while the girls looked more worried than annoyed.

"Oh, and how is the Prince of the Ocean finding his stay in my spaceship? Comfortable, I hope?" Veremnos grinned slyly, his voice thickly laced with amused sarcasm.

Kanou-a frowned, showing he was greatly annoyed, "You imbecile..." he hissed sounding all the more like a polite Kevin, "How _dare_ you forcibly bring me here and confine me to a pathetic glass cage!"

Veremnos was just amused if not anything. "Well, pity, did the royal Prince want a bigger tank?"

"Shut up and get to the point!" Kevin was the one to answer, as he frowned angrily, "What'd you want from us?! Why'd you kidnap the merman?!"

Veremnos idly flicked away a lock of hair from his face by an elegant swipe of his hand, "Well, you do know who I am, Kevin Levin, so you may guess?"

Ben snapped, "Stop beating around the bush!" his fist tightened at his sides as he repeated Kevin's demand, hissing at each syllable, "Why, did, you, kid-nap, Kanou-a?!"

"Well, I'm a dealer, but collecting powerful objects is my desire, and the one on your wrist is the main reason that sparked the current situation for you." Veremnos flashed a grin at Ben. Ben's fist only tightened; he hated how he was always the reason Gwen, Julie and Kevin were dragged into the mess the villains created for him. And now, even Kanou-a was in this.

Veremnos gave a polite laugh, easily enjoying the stupefied looks of confusion on the five faces staring at him from far.

"I had initially come to this pathetic back-water planet to hunt down one 'Ben Tennyson' and covet the Omnitrix which of course I can either sell or keep, not that it is any of your concern," he observed his long nails idly, "and nor was I pleased at how hard you were to find, Ben Tennyson. Then," he looked back at the teenagers, "C-Mexx and I spotted the aquatic humanoid who seems to have rather an 'illegitimate' intimacy with Ben Tennyson."

Kanou-a and Ben both turned a little pink in the face as they looked at each other, feeling guilty.

"You used Kanou-a as bait for Ben?!" Julie asked crossly.

"Not exactly," Veremnos grinned, his ivory eyes flashed away from the teens to a spot behind them, and then went back to gazing at the lot, "You see, the aquatic humanoid called 'merman' happens to posses innumerable amount of undiscovered manna, one kind of manna even _more_ powerful than that of Anodites. To us, that means he is literally a living mine of energy."

Kanou-a's eyes widened in indignance, "_A living mine?!_ I am _no_ living mine; I am a _living_ _being_ with independent free will, I cannot be subdued into a mere source of power!"

"So you say," Veremnos smirked, "But I _did _succeed in capturing you, didn't I? All it took was to disguise C-Mexx as Ben Tennyson with an ID Mask and the lovesick merman swims _right_ to the unsuspecting trap."

Kanou-a blushed again, this time in shame, as the teens turned to him in awe. Ben looked guilty.

_I'm sorry, I couldn't differentiate between that red-haired creature and you; he looked the same and..._ Kanou-a grit his teeth, mentally cursing himself for being the _mighty_ Prince of the Ocean and yet falling for so little a trap.

"Pitiful," Veremnos shook his head, "But of course, it was even _more_ amusing that Ben Tennyson would fall for the trap too. Dual benefits, you see; capture the source of power and wait as it lures _another_ in, as well! Hahah! How profitable; all I had to do was trap an aquatic humanoid, and in falls a Xenomorph with the Omnitrix, an Anodite, a human with a Galvan Mechomorph, and an Osmosian!"

The lot of them seethed in anger, and Kevin froze in realisation. "_That's_ why none of your robots were even taking the pains to watch out for us? 'Cause you rewired them to not catch us till we found the merman!" after a pause, he added, "And you suspected that you won't succeed if Ben had the Omnitrix so that's why you sent robots so as to get him to time-out."

Veremnos shrugged, "As much as I loathe humans, I must add the group of you are far more clever than I had thought you would be. Especially you, Kevin Levin; initially I had decided to throw in more robots at you all so that you would foolishly follow it to this invisible spaceship. But, to my surprise, you used the nullifying cuffs to detect the merman's magic and trace him here? Adsorbed the metal from the hinges of the tank to break the otherwise unbreakable glass of the tank? Marvellous. I congratulate you!"

"Congratulate, my ass," Kevin sneered, "I should've known you had this planned; I should've listened to the itchy feeling I got that this was all too easy! That we were getting around in your spaceship too easy! That we were being played with! Fuck you!"

"Quite the boor you are," Veremnos shrugged and removed his ivory eyes from Kevin and fixed it on Ben instead, "But I have _you_ to thank, Ben Tennyson; I wouldn't have noticed that a powerful manna-source lived in the pathetic water body below, if you hadn't involved in an sexual affair with the merman and had him matured! I would not have detected him in my radar at all, but the moment his powers surfaced to full potential, we spotted him for the first time. Thank you."

Ben frowned, "How did you know about the maturing? It's not like you knew about mermen before right?!"

Veremnos smiled maliciously, "There were cameras and microphones in the room the merman was 'imprisoned' in, and after you escaped the room, a few robot-cameras hovered around you when you didn't know it's presence. We knew that we could get maximum information about the merman, since none of you except Ben Tennyson had met the merman, you would be asking him a lot of questions, yes? Here, I would like to thank the two females, haha! How their eagerness had helped us."

Gwen and Julie groaned in dismay. They now regretted being so eager to learn everything about Kanou-a without waiting till they got him safely out of the spaceship. And look where their ignorance had got them?

The girls looked at Kevin and Ben sadly, but instead of being pissed, the boys gave them looks of forgiveness; after all, a merman was not a common thing in their uncommon life, and it was only natural that they would be curious to a point that they couldn't wait to know more of him. Besides, blaming the girls would be of no use anyway; it was all their carelessness too.

"It was just a matter of time, before having you all cornered here in my presence, how lovely," Veremnos twirled his palm at his wrist, indicating to the room. "It just couldn't get any better, can it? I came for the Omnitrix, but instead I found a powerful humanoid who can supply me enough energy to last a lifetime; and I also find myself rewarded with five bonuses!"

Veremnos fixed his white-grey eyes on a frowning Gwen, "A teenaged Anodite; not bad, but since your powers have been enhanced by the merman, you shall be a sound source to tap from."

He looked at the pallor-struck Julie next, "A Human girl I have no use of; but the Galvan Mechomorph, ah yes, the weaponry I can have it create for me at will... yes that shall be quite dandy too. Since it seems to be quite fond of you, I shall have to keep you too, a few brain-alteration processes will make sure you obey only me."

He looked at the seething Kevin, "Osmosian, yes, a good item; you can easily adsorb several rare crystals and keep them in frequent production for me; so in a mild sense, you are another living mine; I guess the resemblance to the merman goes several other ways too, hahah!"

And finally he bestowed his eyes on a scowling Ben, "And Ben Tennyson, you shall be of no use once I have the Omnitrix removed, but I suppose I _could_ sell you to Vilgax for a hefty sum; he's developed a soft corner for his pretty rival's physique. Says you have no equal even in the most richest space-brothels."

Ben gaped, recoiling in sickening terror, "You're kidding?!"

Kevin raised an eyebrow in shock; _Ben is so cute that he turned Vilgax into a perverted gay?!_

Veremnos grinned again, unlocking his legs at the ankles to straighten up by pushing himself off the table. He folded his hands victoriously across his chest, smugly smirking, "It is quite advantageous for me that all five of you have one or the other use; such cleverly wieldable items that-"

"STOP!"

It was Kanou-a who had suddenly growled, directing all his attention to him as he shouted at Veremnos, "Stop referring to us as items of possession! We are not objects that you can take and discard at your will and whim!"

"Oh, shut up," Veremnos waved his hand idly, "Prince or not, you are in too poor a position to be arguing with your captor!" after a pause, he cast the angry teenagers (and one merman) a look of boredom, "Alright, now I am done with conversing with low-lives like you."

Veremnos snapped his fingers, "C-Mexx!"

Suddenly, C-Mexx jumped at Kanou-a from behind; he had snuck and lurked there (behind the unsuspecting teens) for a while as Veremnos kept the teens busy with his speeches, so that C-Mexx could position himself ready to attack when he had Veremnos' word.

Several armed Metron robots had swarmed in from another open door, but there were four of the robots who carried only a long pole with one sparking end.

Kanou-a gave out a yell as he felt cold metal bands on his wrists from behind him; they were the nullifying cuffs that C-Mexx clasped tight around his wrists, immediately cancelling out his magic. With no more powers to keep the spinning layer of water wetting his tail (or to hold himself upright) the water cocoon splashed into a puddle around him and C-Mexx, as the merman sunk to his tail-knee without any support save the red-haired creature's grip on Kanou-a's arms.

"KANOU-A!" Ben had shrieked the moment Kanou-a had yelled in surprise, but before Ben could complete the many words to come, he gave out a yell of pain; a robot had pushed the bluish sparking tip of its pole onto Ben's shoulder, electrocuting him to a frozen statue with wide green eyes. Ben gave a long howl as he dropped to his knees in pain and then fell flat on his stomach on the floor.

"KIRBY!"

"BEN!"

"TENNYSON, NO!"

Yells followed, but before any of the panicking teens could help each other, they all were zapped between shoulders (at their spines) by a robot each. Kanou-a watched with terror storming in his indigo eyes, seeing his new friends drop one-by-one to the ground like wilting leaves, heaping into a groaning and moaning mess of semi-consciousness.

Kanou-a roared, "Kirby! Friends! No!", he gasped and panted in effort to move towards the heap of fallen teenagers, but C-Mexx hoisted him painfully by the arms and held him around the waist to keep him upright.

C-Mexx may be slight in form, but he was unnaturally very strong. He only grinned without breaking a sweat as he wound his arms bruisingly-tight around the merman's waist, whose back was pressed to his clothed chest. Kanou-a writhed against C-Mexx, his face nearly red in effort, rage and hurt, "Unhand me, you filth! Unhand me! Unhand me!" His hands were tied behind his back by the cuffs, so he could not even use his muscular strength to defend himself.

Veremnos watched in great amusement from his spot at the desk. He smirked and purred n contentment, "What an interesting show. Pathetic humans and their paralysing emotions. And now the merman has been injected with the feelings too!"

Kanou-a flipped his head to whip away locks of long silk black that fell over his eyes when he had struggled, "What MONSTER are you?!" he demanded with a feral sneer of supreme hatred, "How _dare_ you even do something like this! One can not and must not use another as a _power-source!_ Every creature and plant in this world lives as a part of nature and its abilities are for survival, not to satisfy one's greed! You are disturbing the balance of nature! A single person should not be entitled to massive amounts of -"

Veremnos gave out a sigh, and pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand while waving the other ahnd idly, "C-Mexx, silence the humanoid; I'm developing a headache from his blathering."

"Yes, Commander," came the smooth voice from behind Kanou-a who panicked in alarm. C-Mexx released one arm from around Kanou-a, and pulled out a black mask that had a small circular filter in the front where the mouth was. The mask resembled a surgeon's mask, only, this was pitch black and made of tough cartilage rather than cloth. Kanou-a gasped and screamed, "NO, I shall not have it! Let my friends go! You monsters! You beasts! You - mmphhmhhh!"

Kanou-a's voice was now sadly silenced to soft purring muffles as the mask sealed off any coherent syllables. Kanou-a shook his head wildly, shrugging his shoulders, trying to loosen himself, but C-Mexx was too strong, the cuffs were binding his arms, and he was feeling exhausted at the lack of water on his tail that he could now sense. He gave up his struggle, hanging forward, panting as much as it was possible to breathe through the filter of the mask. With his hair falling on either sides of his face, he turned his head to see several Metrons armed and standing around in the room in silence, waiting for a command. Down on the floor, the teens were slowly coming to; writing and shifting as their bodies tried to recover the electrocution.

Ben was nearest to him, as he sat up weakly on one elbow, looking up at the tall C-Mexx who held the hunched merman. Ben reached out a trembling hand towards Kanou-a, mumbling what was probably Kanou-a's name, and although Kanou-a wanted to call out to Ben, the helpless merman could only make muffled noises in reply, his faint eyebrows inclining upwards in the middle as he moaned in more guilt and hurt, his blue eyes gazing into the unfocused green pair that soon blinked into consciousness. Ben's brain was now awake, but his body lying limp on the floor wasn't, so he couldn't move as much as his mind wanted him to.

C-Mexx stepped away from Ben with a sadistic smirk, watching Ben's reaching out hand fall to the floor when the brunette realised he couldn't reach his goal. Around Ben, on the floor, Kevin and the girls were trying to sit up too, but were failing.

"Alright, C-Mexx," Veremnos clapped his hand once, making the red-haired alien turn to his commander, "Lets take the merman to the Extraction Room; you do remember from his talk that he needs to have his tail wet in order to be alive. And a dead, and thereby useless, source is of no interest to me!"

C-Mexx nodded, "Yes, Commander," he turned Kanou-a by the waist, making the merman face him, and suddenly hoisted him more, such that Kanou-a now hung on C-Mexx's left shoulder like a sack of potatoes, with his long black hair beautifully spilling downwards by gravity. C-Mexx walked over to the commander and the desk, Kanou-a's upper body swinging with each stride of his. The merman only had an upside-down view of everything, and he could see the four teens stare intently but helplessly at him from their paralysed states on the floor. Oh the shame and ire.

Veremnos turned to the fallen teenagers, smiling evilly, "Enjoy your last time of freedom, children! These robots will activate in fifteen minutes to fight you. By the time my robots are done with you, you will not have the energy to lift a finger; oh, but don't worry, I have made sure that they won't kill you, after all, I need you all alive, isn't it?" he turned to C-Mexx who grinned back, "We have a lot of work to do, C-Mexx! Are the initiators of the Mutation Bomb ready?"

At the sound of the words 'mutation bomb', Kevin's head snapped up from its position on the floor, "M-Muyuutashun bomb-b?" he muttered in pain, feeling his lungs screech as he fought the electrocution-after-effects. His face showed signs of recognition of what Veremnos was talking about.

"Why yes," Veremnos reply cheerfully as he watched the seething raven, "You are quite knowledgeable in the alien technology, aren't you?"

"Wh-why th-thaat bu-buohmmb?" Kevin growled again, griping at his stomach as he felt his liver burn.

"We plan to set if off within the water body that you call the 'Ocean', for after all, _one_ merman is _never_ enough; I'm sure there are _more _where _he_ came from," he pointed at the alarmed Kanou-a, ", and hearing that his brothers are _more_ powerful than he is, and there would be more of such humanoids, it would be an absolute delight to covet them all! The bomb will turn into a giant creature that will fish all the aquatic humanoids for me, leading me to be _overfilled _with innumerable amount of unfathomed energy, power, influence and ... why am I explaining this to _you?"_

Veremnos shook his head and then smirked at Kevin who looked appalled. Ben looked just as pale. The girls gripped at their heads unable to gather what a 'Mutation Bomb' was, even with its simple and obvious name.

Kanou-a's blue eyes widened in his sockets, nearly popping off his face. He immediately proceeded into a frenzy of thrashing and writhing against a startled C-Mexx; Kanou-a was already doomed and he accepted his failure, but he would _not_ allow for his kingdom and his family and his people to be subjected to the same insulting fate. He couldn't allow it; he had not even ascended to being the ruler of his part of the Kingdom and he had _already _doomed it to lifelong imprisonment?

_Death was better than this_, Kanou-a groaned to hismelf, _it was, it was!_

Kevin stared from his position on the floor, as Veremnos and C-Mexx who carried Kanou-a, walked to the door on the other side of the desk, the door that the teens had suspected would lead into another corridor or an inner chamber.

Once at the door, Veremnos grinned at the lot, "Well, goodbye and happy doom! Once this door is closed, it will not open unless unlocked by me and my key," he patted his hip-pocket, as Kanou-a watched upside-down. "So, infamous humans, attempts of escape are futile, so don't even bother! If you all are going to be failures, atleast be so with some dignity! Hahah!"

Kevin clenched his jaws stifling the urge to swear dirty, but he knew it would hurt his recovering body. Damn, those shocking equipments were advanced; almost worked as strong as paralysing drugs. Ben moaned sadly from his side, behind him a bit away, Julie panted as she managed to sit up on two elbows, and Gwen whimpered as she un-twisted her left leg that had become so during her fall to the floor.

Kanou-a's eyes lingered on the hip-pocket of the commander. Although he was not one for such diabolical thoughts, he had no other options, had he?

Kanou-a utilised the momentary stillness, as the commander spoke to the teens about the door. The moment the commander was done with the words 'dignity' and punctuated his speech with a laugh, Kanou-a gave his tail a violent jolt. It caught the slight but strong C-Mexx by surprise and he staggered sideways, more in shock than in force. C-Mexx side-butted against Veremnos who also staggered wildly, nearly tripping, but he nimbly clutched the wall at the door frame and hissed at his right-hand-in-command who regained his balance meantime.

"C-Mexx! What is the matter with you?! Can you not handle that creature!" he snapped crossly, he had bent double in his effort to hold still, and neither oft eh two aliens noticed a pencil-shaped key fall off the hip pocket of Veremnos' suit during the impact of C-Mexx's side-butt.

One person saw that, the one who had initiated the push; Kanou-a.

Another person saw it too, one who gaped at the ingenuity of the merman; Kevin.

The identical 'twins' shared a long glance, even from the great distance between them, they could see the glimmer of excitement in each other's eyes. Blue locked on brown, Kanou-a flicked his eyes to the key lying obliviously on the ground, and then his eyes flicked back to Kevin. Kevin gave an ever-so-slight nod, that only Kanou-a noticed. Kanou-a's eyes scrunched a little; he was smiling under his mask with a hopeful look still in his eyes.

After C-Mexx mumbled an apology, Veremnos added sourly, "We should have taken that sedative-gun with us! What a troublesome prisoner!"

"But Commander, if we sedate him, wont it interrupt the Extraction Process by decreasing its efficiency to half? We need him to be conscious too, don't we?"

"Hmm, yes, we do," Veremnos nodded as he walked out of the room, C-Mexx following, as they discussed more. The door slowly came to a close, gears and clicks popping into place.

The last thing Kevin had seen as the door closed was the shine of Kanou-a's blue eyes.

_OK, I admit it, the fish-hips had got mad reflexive thinking skills, too._

-E nd of Chapter -

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**_ok, so im not even sure how my fighting thingies went; is it too confusing? coz theyre running around everywhere and then falling to te ground; like a fucked up ringa-ringa-roses song! :D_**

**_i hope tht was a decent chapter for you all! but im a lil sick and stuff, so yeah.. -_-_**

**_ keep revieweing and faving and following!_**

**_mwaaah! :D_**


	16. The Extraction Room

**Aaaaaaand she does it again! :D congrats to hotxhotguy! Ure my hundredth reviewer! (you were the hundredth reviewer for my story Its a WildLife, too! You sly dawg!) I owe you a guest appearance! It'll come don't worry!**

**And yes, Kanouxben, this is the only way I can reply to your reviews, to show tht I actually love them! :D yay! I hate it whn questions are left unanswered, especially whn I have the power to answer them! so answer, I shall! And with a name like yours, ofcourse you are special hahah! Oh and, Thnk you for the offer for the fight scenes, but u see, if I had u write thm out for me, I am giving away the suspense to you rite? So, thank you sweety, but I really want you to sit back and (as fullmoonwolf does) eat popcorn and relax, and enjoy the story! But I am so happy u offered to help! Yaay! (mwah!)**

**and, Reyna Gold... you're really out to get me, aren't you? :D haha, just kidding, but ur questions do reduce me into a confused heap! :D mmm lets see; kevinoua, kevoua, kenoua, I dunno which but im not really hinting into them together; but something about the two identical unrelated twins being oh-so-close is ...appealing! :D I knw I knw im weird and I have my weird wants. But if I made kevoua, it would be like a slash INSIDE a slash! Hahaha! Weirdness! Ok, so, um, you just read out this chapter too and continue shooting questions at me; sometimes, being confused makes me think more and thinking more helps me write more! By the way, im kinda Kevin-centric (im sure you noticed tht) but I love Ben too! :D yaay! U cant have bevin without Ben!**

**omg! fullmoonwolf950 has posted two of my kanou-a themed pics on deviantart! i dont really have a devinatart account so my wolfychan agreed to post them for me! you can see my pics (only two of them at present), if you type 'meeting kanouh-a' in the browse art section. i knw, the kanou-a's name is mis-spelt but who cares! :D heres the link (a part of it that is. its useless at this point, but just to make sure):-**

**browse . deviantart ?q=meeting+kanouh-a**

**[those of you who're curious to know wht kanou-a's bros look like, you shud really check out the above pics! (wink wink)]**

**pls do view it and comment if you can! :D**

**so, on to the story, to all my lovely readers... here we GOOOOOO!...**

**... screech halt. Forgot the warning and disclaimer -_- '**

**Warning: yaoi/ boyslove/ mermen/ angst not as deep as before.**

**Disclaimer : I do not own Ben ten alien force; coz if I I did,... Kanou-a would be in Ben's omnitrix! (whuzzah! never thot of tht before! OvO) but no, its too weird!**

**[note: italics within quotes like : "_hello_", means that the guy in conversation is whispering. Its not a thought but a whisper. But simple italics without the quotes like : _Damn you Tennsyon!_ are mental thoughts (hihi). Get it?]**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**_Chapter sixteen : The Extraction Room_**

Ben sat up on an elbow, cringing as he did.

Ben had now recovered fully, but the heavy thoughts of defeat was weighing him down such that he remained lying on the floor, observing the situation with solemn green eyes.

Around him, his friends were recovering too. Gwen and Julie sat close, whispering to each other about their well-being after their electrocution. He saw Kevin crawl curiously out the floor towards the door in a quick pace. Ben then saw all the mute and silent Metrons that stood close to the walls, their faces blank and silent. They were armed with sophisticated guns that were ready to be used in fifteen minutes. How many of them were there... ten? Twenty? It was hard to count since they were all identical, had the same height and were so many in number, that it hurt to simply look at them for longer than ten seconds.

Ben rolled onto his back and looked up to stare at the ceiling of the large Office. With his green eyes still on the ceiling, he felt the smooth warm surface of his Omnitrix with his right hand. Its been a while since the Omnitrix last timed out, so it mean it would 'ping' back into action in less than a few minutes. But what after that? Even if he manages to fight the robots, the Omnitrix _will_ time out again, and these robots are far too strong to be defeated without armoury. Although Veremnos had programmed them to not kill them, the agony he promised (to be able to not even lift a finger)... it would hurt, yes. But either way, that means there's no escape for them. These robots are going to juice them till they dropped unconscious.

It was all over now. He had caused for Kanou-a to be captured. He had endangered Kanou-a's entire kingdom. He had also endangered his own friends.

They were all going to end up being _batteries_ for Veremnos and C-Mexx; with his lover Kanou-a being their favourite.

He could nearly see it happen; he saw a sick picture form in his head, that same picture of Kanou-a strapped to a torture table and this time hooked to tubes and needles and things he didn't want to think about. He could picture Gwen, frozen solid in a cylindrical scan-machine, the powerful manna being evaporated off of her so bad that she looked as old as she had when Mike Morningstar had suctioned off her powers. He could imagine Julie sitting lifelessly on a chair with a helmet-equipment on her head, her eyes disappearing behind it, her mouth unmoving, her face paler than it was, while Ship was black-and-red, transforming into a large deadly gun in her hand, ready to be used at Veremnos' command. Ben could see Kevin knelt on the ground, seething and groaning with his hands forcibly handcuffed with metals that dug his hands into pieces of green Taedenite, making him adsorb it against his will, and have robots chisel off the crystals that grew on his back from the excessive amount he had to adsorb.

And himself? ... Ben shuddered as he imagined himself dressed in skimpy transparent green lingerie, knees knocking in fear, while before him, sitting on a high throne, was Vilgax who stared down at him with small, sharp, emotionless, crimson eyes. Ben could not even bring to imagine how the 'I will rule the universe!' jerk could even _think_ along the lines of...

Ben imagined the smirking black lips move slowly, as words slipped out like venomous snakes.

_..."Ben Tennyson... spread your legs for me"..._

_"AAUGH! Gross!" _Ben shuddered, rolling at his side and clutching his arms in a self-embrace whilst keeping a foetal position. He shuddered more, closing his eyes shut to remove the mental images that threatened to develop into more details for his 'imprisonment' with the villain.

"Ben? Ben, you okay?" two voices came floating into Ben ears. Ben blinked and looked sideways to see the girls looming over him with worried expressions.

Ben gave out a groan before loosening up, and the girls helped him sit up properly. Rubbing his brown-haired head like a mother, Gwen whispered, "You okay, Ben?" while Julie looked on at her ex-boyfriend in the same manner.

"Uh,... yeaaaaaah-no," he looked at them both in the eyes, one by one. Then he gave out a long sigh.

"Its over, Gwen, Julie. All over. We are gonna spend our energies fighting these useless robots in a locked room, and then end up being sold to villains and used as batteries!" he gripped his hair in remorse and desperation.

Gwen and Julie hugged him together, whispering 'it's gonna be okay',... 'some way will turn out,'... 'we'll think of something'... but he knew they were as worried as he was.

Ben's heart cringed more and more as he thought of a blue-eyed merman who laughed and smiled happily,... was he ever going to see Kanou-a again?

Speaking of Kanou-a...

"Where's Kevin?" Ben looked around from over Gwen's shoulder. The girls pulled back and looked around too. They simultaneously spotted Kevin standing hunched in front of the locked door, and since his back was to them, they only saw his elbows shaking as he seemed to be fiddling with the locks.

Ben sighed.

"Kevin!" he called out, "There's no point! That guy said nothing will open that door unless it's the key!"

Kevin turned from his spot, wearing a weak smirk that shone nonetheless, waving something in his right hand, "You mean _this_ key?"

Three pairs of eyes widened and three mouths dropped in shock.

"Oh my god! Is _that _the key?! How'd you get that?! _When_ did you get that?!" the three of them shouted together in the same time. They could not believe their eyes at all.

Kevin grinned at them, although his face was a little ashen from the electrocution, he had recovered fully. "Gotta admit, Tennyson; I really hate your boyfriend, but he's got brains, for a merman that is!" he flipped up the key and caught it in his hand again. "You remember his little 'act' back then? Where he jumped from C-Mexx's arms and C-Mexx fell against Veremnos?"

"Yeah?" Ben raised an eyebrow.

"He did it so that the key would fall off the guy's pocket. Clever."

Ben, Gwen and Julie gaped together.

Ben's eyes suddenly shone like sparkly green stars, all the depression had evaporated completely. He stared up at the ceiling, and clasped his hands together, as if in prayer, "Oh, my dear, sweet, clever Kanou-a! You saved us! I will save you too, honey, I will!"

Kevin's smirk fell from his face replaced by jealous irritation, "Let's focus on how to use this thing first, shall we?!" he snapped, turning back to the door. The girls noticed the drop in his excitement just because Ben had praised Kanou-a. They looked dumbly at Ben who continued staring off into space with adoration for Kanou-a in his eyes.

Now that Kevin thought about it, maybe he should have shut up and taken credit for the key-catching. Then maybe HE would be Ben's honey?

_No. I didn't get the key, and I don't need anybody else's credits, and definitely not that fish-guy's! Sure, Ben woulda loved me if he hadn't come along, but I want Tennyson to like me by my own skills, not 'cause that aqua-boy has got moves!... Not like Tennyson would like me like that in the first place anyway..._

He was shaken out of his thoughts when he heard frantic footsteps behind him. Ben was running up to him, and once he was stationed at his side, the brunette huffed for breath.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Ben asked, combing up his brown fringe away from his eyes, "Unlock the door."

"Uh, I got good news and bad news," Kevin sighed.

Ben's shoulders fell, and the girls groaned from a little away.

"Bad news first!" Ben gasped, biting his lips. Kevin looked at him, and then looked down at the pencil shaped key, "I can't use this to open the lock 'cause it also requires iris-identification and heart-beat range, which is a bit higher than a human's I should add."

"Oh yeah, he did say it won't open unless 'unlocked by me and my key'!" Ben hung his head sadly.

"And the good news?" asked the ever optimistic Julie in eager hope. Kevin turned to look at the girls, shrugging, "This is advanced yes, so I can't even use Ship 'cause I'll need to know certain other tech-stuff, which I don't. But there IS one person with enough intelligence, who can hack the lock-system's program."

"Who? None of us three are experienced in this tech-stiff, and you said even _you_ can't do this! Then who can?" Gwen asked in dismay.

Kevin smirked at Ben, with his eyes on the green orbs. "Brainstorm."

Again, three pairs of eyes widened together. Ben gave a cocky grin, rubbing the back of his head, "Oh yeah... forgot that bit!"

Gwen and Julie turned to look over their shoulders at the rows and rows of dumb and lifeless robots who should soon be awaking now. They turned back to the guys. "Look, just unlock the door and go find Kanou-a, you two!" Gwen spoke urgently, "These robots will activate to fight-mode any time soon!"

"Wait... what'd you mean 'you two'?! We _all_ are getting outta here!" Kevin exclaimed.

Gwen shook her head, "No, if we _all _leave the room, then the robots will realise we are gone by the absence of fighting, and that will alert Veremnos! But if Julie and I stay behind, it will make the robots think that we all are here, and since they are programmed to only fight and report, they won't suspect a thing!"

Ben looked worried, "But just the two of you girls? Against all these strong robots?..."

"Ben, we'll manage! Kanou-a had heightened my manna so I will perform better! Julie had her Powersuit too!" at which the Japanese American raised Ship up in encouragement, as the red-head continued, "All you guys gotta do is find Kanou-a and get him here as fast as you can! Then, the five of us can bust out through the other door-" she pointed behind her at the door through which they had been earlier pushed in, "- and then find our way out the spaceship! While you guys find Kanou-a, Julie and I'll hold off these robots till then."

Kevin frowned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Why does BEN have to go with me?!"

"If he stays here, then he will have to use the Omnitrix and then it'll timeout during critical fights! So we have to keep it to minimum usage till we confront Veremnos!"

"Then why do_ I_ have to go with Ben?!"

Gwen frowned more deadlier than Kevin, "_Now's_ not the time for your anti-romance stubbornness-spree, Kevin! Lives stand at stake here, so quit whining like a kid, and go!"

Kevin glared at her with flaring nostrils, "Fine! Screw you!" he huffed angrily turning to the door and grimacing at the lock system because he knew he couldn't do so at Gwen given her heightened manna, the risk was too much.

Ben sighed as he idly fiddled with the Omnitrix. Julie sighed as she petted her little Galvan Mechomorph pet.

Gwen caught Julie's arm and tugged her towards the centre of the room, whispering and discussing with her the proper strategies and attack-combos that would help them keep the robots busy when they activate.

Meanwhile, Kevin ignored the irritating and blinding flash of green as Ben transformed into Brainstrom.

"If you would be so kind, Kevin Ethan Levin, please move aside and let the professional Cerebrocrustacean do the advanced trampling of circuits."

A vein pulsed angrily on Kevin's forehead. Kevin gave a long glare at the short alien, grabbing him by the large bulbous head hissing on each syllable, "_NEVER-EVER_-_use-my-middle-name-ever-again_, you got that?!" he narrowed his eyes into the nonchalant ones, "Just because you have a bigger head and half a billion more brain cells doesn't mean I can't knock the wind outta you if I want! I'll turn you into crab soup afterwards!"

"I am not even going to worry myself about wasting two point three five seconds on commenting to that."

"You just did, smarty", Kevin released him.

After a pause, realising that he indeed had, Brainstorm snapped, "Just move, Kevin Levin!"

o.o.o

It was about five minutes when the boys had snuck out of the room after giving courageous nods to the girls, who gave them in turn a determined thumbs up each.

They slid along the new corridors, one's that snaked along the other sides of the large spaceship. Every now-and-then, few clusters of robots would pass by. Kevin had added, "We should be extra careful, 'cause the last time we snuck around here, we were not attacked 'cause they already knew we were here. But this time, they dunno that we escaped, so we have to really watch out."

And it was when one group of robots seemed to be walking their way a little too close, that they panicked. There was no nearby room to hide in. Kevin was quicker in thinking so he grabbed Ben's arm and tugged him towards a large shelf of weapons stationed against the wall. Kevin pushed himself and Ben beside the shelf in its shadows.

Ben had his back to the wall, while Kevin placed his forearms on the wall, hunching so that his tall form would shadow Ben's green shirt and make him not visible. He pushed closer, so that the shadow of the larger shelf would wash over them and keep them both invisible.

All they could do now was hold their breaths as the robots passed them in monotonous clicking of metal feet on the floor.

The two boys had closed their eyes previously, and then slowly opened them. Ben slowly looked up, and Kevin looked down. The proximity was suddenly realised, and the rare phenomenon of a blush heated Kevin's cheeks, while the common one flushed Ben's.

"_Tennyson..."_ Kevin hissed in a whisper, "_This is only a coincidence!"_ tensing when he realised that their thighs were touching.

Ben looked like a little doe with large sparkly green eyes as he nodded, _"Thank you."_

Kevin raised an eyebrow, "_For what?"_

"_For helping me save Kanou-a. I never really had the chance to thank you properly."_

Kevin gave a low grunt, removing his eyes away from the green and fixing it on the area of wall above the shorter teen's head. "_Whatever._"

Ben stayed silent feeling a warm feeling creep up his chest just by being so close to Kevin, watching the face of the handsome raven struggling to remain nonchalant or unobservant of their bodies being pressed closed. Ben's fingers twitched; he had wanted to give Kevin a friendly hug ever since the raven had confessed to him; he had wanted to let Kevin know that even though he didn't love him, he still loved him as a friend and that he wouldn't ever abandon him, and that he was not alone. He wantedt o comfort the hurt raven who refused to accept any form of help from him.

Kevin felt the breath leave his lungs when Ben softly clutched the loose fabric of his bluish grey shirt and pull him a little closer. Ben's hands wound gently around the slim torso and hugged him loose enough for Kevin to pull away if he wanted.

"_What d'you think you're doing, Tennyson?!"_ Kevin whispered with wide eyes angled down at the glowing tan face of his unrequited crush smiling up at him sweetly.

"_Comfort hug. You need one, don't deny it." _Ben whispered back breathily.

Kevin's lips parted in frustration and he looked away, feeling his cheeks set themselves on fire. The core of his heart thumped wildly as he felt Ben's small head press into his chest and the small hands hold him around his muscular abdomen in friendly comfort.

Kevin seethed; this was not romantic or horny. This was sweet and friendly, so comforting that he nearly dissolved in relaxation from all his emotional strains and stress, even though it was only for a few minutes. He had never been hugged like this before, for no one had ever dared, not even Gwen. He had always given off an air that he didn't need a hug or such crap as he calls it. But even the mightiest of stone-hearted people crave a gentle touch or two.

Like the princely but stubborn Beast who melted in warmth against the loving, friendly, Belle the Beauty.

Kevin gave an unintentional sigh, hunching a little such that his chin dropped gently on the soft tuft of brown hair, his hands slipping a little from the wall as if hesitating to wrap them around the warm shorter figure. He finally let one hand fall and hold Ben around the shoulders, snuggling the brunette closer, returning the hug, and feeling a swell of relief grow in his burning chest.

His hand on the wall clawed at the metal when he felt the slow appearance of pain despite the gentle happiness it brought him to know that Ben still liked him as a friend. The pain was from the fact that he could never expect anything _more_ than this from Ben, never _anything_ more.

Ben was never going to be _his _own_._ Never.

A small crescent burn framed each of Kevin's eyes, startling him greatly. His eyes (that were closed) shot open, and as he suspected, his vision had blurred in a film of...

"_Fuck, not now..."_ he hissed, rapidly blinking his brown eyes, such that Ben made to move his head up to see what was the problem, but Kevin pushed himself off of the hug and turned around, gulping and not caring that they had been hiding or that they could fall right under the eyes of a passing robot.

"_We- we should get going..."_ Kevin stammered, relieved when he felt the threatening tears draw back in defeat. Ben only stared at Kevin who had his back to him. Although Kevin made a show of looking around for more robots, Ben knew something had bothered him. Ben bit his lips, however, pleased that he had relaxed Kevin a little, for he had felt it, right through the hug, that small sigh of pure satisfaction, that small hold on his shoulder, firm but gentle.

_"And Tennyson, don't even dare tell anybody that I ... that I let you hug me and that I hugged you back!"_

Ben smiled as he nimbly followed the elder teen who took off for the left, gesturing to Ben over his shoulder.

o.o.o

"So," Ben asked in a low voice as they tiptoed around and paused at a corridor, "How do we find where Kanou-a is? Last time we used the conch to detect the defiance of the nullifying cuffs, right? But this time, I don't have the conch; its back home."

"I know. That's what I'm bothered about," Kevin looked down at the Plumbers Badge, "Lemme try and see if I can contact Max..."

Ben and Kevin peered in the eerie green glow of the Badge. It first showed a levitating map, and sudden went 'bxxzz-ssskkkkk-fzzzzuuu-uuxxx' and went dim.

"Shit," Kevin swore under his breath, "Something cancelled out the signal! The spaceship has got software around it to keep off signals coming in or going out!"

"But we_ did_ find Kanou-a using it in the first place, right?" Ben looked confused.

"Yeah, but that time, they purposely left it open, so that we'd find them; remember, they _wanted _us to find the ship and get to your boyfriend, right?"

"Oh... we should have called Grandpa Max when we had the chance..." Ben sighed.

"Wait, I think we're not _all_ that helpless," Kevin hummed, making Ben look hopeful, "I think I have the frequencies of the conch and the matching ones of the cuffs in here after I downloaded the coordinates... so if I try to send a few signals mimicking the conch and..." Kevin stuck out a tongue in concentration as he tapped certain codes on the badge. After a second, his face cleared as he stared hopefully into the badge's face.

"What? What'd you do?" Ben asked curiously peering into the amalgam of high tech codes dribbling across the round screen of the Badge.

"I sent a weak signal that copies the conch's frequency. If I guess right, then Kanou-a will sense them, and as usual, the cuffs on Kanou-a will retaliate and we can find which room he is in."

Ben smiled widely, and Kevin glowered at the look on his face. "If you're going to hug me gain, I will punch you right in the face, I swear."

Ben gave him a cute smile, nodding with his thumbs up to show that the threat has been accepted. Kevin looked away grumbling.

The next moment, the 'ping!' on the screen alerted them and the boys saw that the cuffs had responded.

"It's weak but I can trace it,... seems like your merman is semi-conscious-"

Ben's mouth gaped in worry, "WHA-mmpphph!" and his shout had been thankfully stilled as Kevin wrapped his fingers over Ben's open mouth and hissed at him to shut up. "You wanna get us _killed_, Tennyson?!" he whispered icily, with angry brown eyes.

Ben shook his head and Kevin took away his hand. Ben sighed softly, looking greatly worried, "I just hope they haven't done _things_ to him... you know... _bad_ things..."

"They wanna suck off his _powers_, Tennyson, not his _dick_."

Ben blushed in disgust and stared stupidly at Kevin who looked nonchalantly at the badge for the coordinates to pop on the map.

o.o.o

"_We're in luck, Tennyson_," Kevin whispered. The two boys peered like thieves from a bend in the corridor. They were staring at the metallic door to the Extraction Room that Kanou-a was in. The Badge said that he was in it, at least.

"_Why are we in luck, again?_" Ben whispered back. They stared at the door that was across from them a little away.

"_Look! The door's ajar, meaning the two guys are in there too! If it were locked, think about the trouble we have to go through to get the key! But now, we have to just wait till they get outta the room and we can go in!_"

Ben smiled, and then his smile fell as fast as it had come, "_But what if they lock it as they go away?_"

Kevin grinned mischievously. On any other occasion, Ben would have freaked out, for it was _never_ good when Kevin grinned like that, and it usually meant bad for the raven's target. At the moment, it was hope that lifted inside Ben.

Ben was startled out of his thoughts when he saw Kevin was no longer beside him!

"_What the-_ " Ben gasped, to see Kevin already slinking forward. Dangerously approaching the room's door, while sticking to the walls like a ninja.

Ben was about to follow him, but when Kevin gestured to him wildly to stay put, he remained rooted to the spot with a stiff nod.

He watched in worried fascination as Kevin finally reached the door, and pressed his back to the wall just beside the open door's hinges. Light from the door spilt in a rectangular beam on the ground. Kevin took in a soft inhalation of air and exhaled it calmly. He fiddled with his Badge carefully and then reached out and carefully pressed the surface of the Badge on to the electronic lock-system of the door. Ben clearly saw the Badge blink a few times before going inert. Kevin gave a smirk to himself, before withdrawing the Badge and looking at Ben with another grin.

Slick and suave, Kevin snuck back along the walls, and jumped towards Ben's side of the other corridor and planted himself beside the frozen brunette, all the while making sure no one saw him.

"_Whu? Whut was that all about?!"_ Ben stammered in awe at the other teen.

Kevin gave another proud grin, "_Copied the security settings. Now, my badge is gonna be a duplicate key sorta-ish_."

"_Woah! I didn't know the Badge could do that!"_

Kevin grinned wider, _"Well, when you live alone like me, you learn and develop a few things by yourself." _Kevin winked smartly. Ben gave him a wide grin of appreciation.

They waited with bated breath, watching the door.

Meanwhile, inside the Extraction Room...

Veremnos smiled at the large complicated machine. It had a supper-computer to one end, the left side, at which C-Mexx sat, tapping away on the touch screen, adjusting the air, water and mineral content, while getting it ready to extract the specimen's energy. Along the middle of the machine was a whole mess of glowing wires, tubes and cables, and at the right-side end of the machine was a large cylinder, about the height and width of a telephone booth again. Within it, was Kanou-a.

The Specimen Pod, as the glass cylinder was called, was tightly shut to avoid leakage for it was filled to the rims with a green-tinged liquid containing all properties of water. Kanou-a was strapped to a stand that kept him upright within the cylinder; he was strapped with black belts around the waist, one each around the arms and the wrists, one around his shoulders, one around his tail where a knee would be. A black mask was fixed on his mouth and nose, a furious clump of bubbles would momentarily rush off the small side-nozzles of the face mask and disappear above. Long segmented tubes ran from the face-mask to behind him. A few wires were stuck to his body with round stickers; on his chest, arms, tail and one on either side of his temples. His wrists still had the nullifying cuffs. His soft balck hair billowed gently in the greenish water.

Kanou-a was semi-conscious; meaning he was awake but his body was drowsy. It was a means of silencing any furious attempts of escape or defence. His eyes were half-lidded, his brain felt heavy and sleep-induced. His skin looked a little ill even, his tail looked morose by the dull green of the water.

C-Mexx was currently adjusting the chemicals that kept the specimen inert to any actions of defence. And when he was finally done, he turned and looked up at his Commander who smiled down at him.

"Done, C-Mexx?"

"Yes, Commander; the sedation has been administered to full potency, such that it will not deter with the Extraction but will keep him unmoving.

"Good. Now, have his nullifying cuffs removed."

C-Mexx nodded, turning back to the computer. He gripped two projections that looked like handle bars on either side of him on the super-computer. As he watched the screen and moved the handles, a pair of robot arms with spidery fingers appeared inside the Specimen Pod. Kanou-a's dull eyes watched calmly as the twig-like fingers nimbly picked at the cuffs each on his wrists strapped forcibly to the stand. The robotic arms released the cuffs and withdrew with them. Kanou-a could feel the energy restricted to him surge back into his body, but he just couldn't summon them or use them to his will. Especially when he felt like as if the life of his limbs had been sucked away to be replaced by seductive exhaustion.

C-Mexx smirked at the screen with his eyes glinting, "Commander, the energy has been identified and is being currently rationed for Extraction."

"Perfect!" Veremnos leaned forward, supporting one arm on the backrest of the chair, while his silvery white hair fell forward framing the sides of his indigo face that peered at the glowing screen before him, "Is he healthy? No physical deformities or foreign virus bodies, are there?"

C-Mexx tapped crisply on the flat keyboard below the screen, "Systems checking physical attributes of specimen..." and after a few moments he added, "Done. No, Commander, the specimen has no deformities or illness. All organic systems are working properly namely, his circulatory system, respiratory system, reproductive... oh."

"Yes?"

C-Mexx looked on at the screen in amusement and surprise, and then spoke, "His reproductive hormones show the same properties of Galactic Aphrodisiacs!"

Veremnos burst laughing in great mirth, "My, my!" he tapped his chin with a long finger, "It seems this specimen will be of more benefit to us that I had ever imagined! We shall be quite famous in the Space Brothels if we manage to sell the semen in processed forms!"

"Yes, indeed, Commander," the red-head nodded in agreement, and then added, "Shall I initiate the Extraction?"

"Yes, initiate the Extraction, C-Mexx," Veremnos stood straight, holding his hands behind his back in authority, "But, however, I wish you to fill only _one_ capsule for an experiment on my new mutant Metrons. Lets see how powerful this specimen's energy is, by testing it on my prototypes, yes?"

"Yes, Commander."

As C-Mexx went back to typing codes and readying the software to begin the manual work, Veremnos walked up the Specimen Pod, and stared sadistically at the half-conscious merman who gazed back at him with blank half-lidded eyes.

"Who's the royalty, _now_?" Veremnos smirked. Kanou-a's eyes glinted just once, but he was too helpless to even move, let alone retaliate.

A few moments later, the machine started its work. It set off a few rumbling noises, before chugging a little, the tubes moved as they precaruiously controlled the amount of liquids flowing in and out the liquid of the Pod, while it divided Kanou-a's energy once it felt the presence of it in Kanou-a. The merman moaned into his mask, feeling a sick tug at the navel as he felt cold and hot at the same time; as if his skin was turning inside out, as if the air in his lungs were slowly being pulled away, as if his organs were stretching and expanding. He hated it, it was horrible. Not in the least acceptable either.

C-Mexx and Veremnos watched the merman as glowy strands of sparkling bluish manna flitted off the specimen, and were sucked in by tubes in the Pod. The statistics moved on the screen in rapid succession, making the two aliens very happy as the energy was increasing each second. C-Mexx made sure the machine only extracted the amount for one capsule, (which was about the size of a thermos flask), as per the Commander's wish. He also made sure the machine was not overwhelmed by the ease of the amount of the energy coming off the merman, for it might end up sucking off too much and then killing the specimen altogether. Careful watch over it was thereby necessary.

C-Mexx smiled as he pushed a particular button on the screen and the chugging stopped. The machine went lax, and Kanou-a's chest that had lifted a little in the dull pain, slowly relaxed. Faint black eyebrows titled up in weak helplessness. This was definitely worse than death; to feel as if the life of him was being stripped off his body. Disgusting.

A small compartment in the super-computer popped open, and C-Mexx pulled out the capsule, which was a cylinder with semicircular ends. It was filled with Kanou-a's energy, processed to make it a little denser and brighter, it sparked electric blue, and buzzed furiously within the glass container. C-Mexx got up after putting the machine in sleep-mode. He handed the capsule to his Commander, who smirked creepily at the feel of the cool glass of the capsule.

"Wonderful! Now lets go test it, I can hardly contain myself!"

C-Mexx nodded, and he followed his Commander who quickly walked towards the door.

Meanwhile, outside the door, two furious teenagers eavesdropped on the conversation, from their spot far away, by listening into a device on Kevin's Plumbers Badge.

"_Fucking assholes! What do they think Kanou-a is?! A 'sex-chemical' factory?!_" Ben snapped his whisper in curbed rage.

_"Uh... yes, actually." _Kevin shook his head.

_"Hmmph! Well, they can kiss my ass, as if I would let them keep Kanou-a!"_

_"If you don't shut up, Tennyson, they'll find us and then it'll be Vilgax kissing your ass...literally!" _Kevin snapped back, frustrated in trying to quieten the enraged brunette. At the words of the raven, Ben shuddered so bad that Kevin nearly copied him too.

"_B-but don't worry, I won't let him_," Kevin added in a lower voice before he could stop himself; making Ben look at him innocently.

Their sudden attention on each other was replaced by the door, when Veremnos and C-Mexx stepped out, the former holding a cylinder of bluish sparkling energy. The teens watched as Veremnos locked the door with a few taps from a pencil-shaped key, and a few buttons being pressed in synch. Then the two aliens walked to their right, disappearing around the corner of the corridor. The two teens waited till it was five minutes, in case either of the two aliens would come back for something and instead find the fiends!

"_Alright, coast clear!_ _C'mon, Tennyson!"_ Kevin whispered, tugging at Ben's shoulder in confirmation.

Kevin and Ben stood hunched over the lock system of the locked door, Kevin swapping the Badge over it. Then it clicked open on its own, and opened for them to access.

Pushing open the door, Ben and Kevin walked in. Ben gaped at the sight of Kanou-a in the Specimen Pod.

Even Kevin had to admit, it was gruesome although there was no blood; because Kanou-a looked _sick. _Absolutely_ sick._

"Kanou-a!" Ben gasped softly in the excitement of seeing the merman whom he thought was lost to him. He immediately breaking into a run for the Pod, and then staring in dismayed shock at the pathetic condition of his lover, who slowly opened his blue eyes that had been closed in exhaustion.

Kanou-a's eyebrows moved a little although his face remained blank.

"Imma get you out, Kanou-a! I promise! Just wait a few seconds!" Ben gestured wildly with his hand. Ben turned and pointed at the Super-computer, "Kevin! Do something! Get Kanou-a out!"

Kevin pressed finger to his lips, pointing to the door as he walked to the computer, "Careful, Tennyson! Not too loud!" he hissed low.

Ben gasped and nodded, placing his mouth on his hand. He turned back to Kanou-a who looked down at him longingly and sadly, but it seems a little glimmer had returned in his eyes. Ben was shocked to see how dull they had been when they opened a few second s ago.

What had Veremnos and C-Mexx done to his beloved merman?!

"Kanou-a... sweet heart... it's ok, I'm here," Ben pouted, more to himself than Kanou-a. Kanou-a blinked and closed his eyes, his chest heaving a little as if in a sigh of relief. Ben pressed his palms to the cool glass and leant his forehead on it as well.

Kevin meanwhile went to work, trying to analyse what the aliens had done so that he could figure out how to reverse it. Carefully, he typed and hence unlocked the process details, shut down the paused Extraction, and stopped the flow of drugs into the Pod. He did a few more hacking and managed to get the greenish liquid around Kanou-a to drain.

Ben watched as the liquid-level got lower and lower in the Pod, swiping Kanou-a along his height as it went, the merman's skin glistening in the wetness, the hair sticking to his face, chest, back and to the stand he was strapped to. Kevin typed the final commands, reversing the ones of C-Mexx's, and finally detached the links of the Pod to the computer.

Kevin jumped off the chair and walked to Ben and the merman.

Kevin gave Ben a nod when the brunette looked at him with a hopeful look. Ben stepped aside as Kevin felt along the sides of the smooth glass and found the vertical ridge in the glass. He tapped on it three times and it clicked open with a rush of neutral-smelling steam. Kevin tugged open the semi-spherical door, that split the cylinder in two halves along the length.

Kevin and Ben reached in, ready to relieve all of the black belts that kept Kanou-a trapped.

First, Ben pulled off all the wires needled into the pale skin, carefully. Then, Ben and Kevin took off the mask, which resulted in Kanou-a gasping and taking long breaths, his clawed fingers gripping the stand in the rush of fresh Oxygen. He panted softly, weak eyes watching the teens frantically undo all the straps. When the one on his waist was gone, he slipped downwards without support, so Kevin was forced to grab the merman around the waist and hold him, trying to ignore the 'thank you' that the merman breathed into his ear with a weak voice. As Kevin 'embraced' Kanou-a who held him back, Ben finally undid the final belt on the bluish tail.

Together, the teens pulled the wet Kanou-a out of the Pod, by slinking each of Kanou-a's arms around each of their shoulders, and holding him by the waist. Kanou-a did feel a little odd by the difference in height; his left side dipped because he was supported by Ben who was too short, while the right side was in level thanks to Kevin who was taller than Ben. But although he was lopsided, he was ever so relieved.

When they had got to the centre of the room, Ben whispered to his lover, brushing away the wet strands of black from the face, "Kanou-a? You okay, now? Can you, you know, do that thing you do with the water? Making a cocoon thing that helps you walk?"

Kanou-a nodded, but winced, "Just a moment, love; I feel nauseous. My energy needs a little while to recover from the shock of the 'Extraction' as they call it. I have no clue what they had used on me, but I assure you it was not pleasent!"

Ben nodded, "Okay, take your time," and lovingly stroked away more strands of wet hair from the recovering face, while Kevin tensed from the right side of the wet merman.

_Damn, he's heavy! But then he weighs as much as me, maybe more, 'cause of the tail? Ouch, my shoulder hurts..._

Kanou-a turned to Kevin, who was momentarily taken aback by the identical face looking gently at him, "You may set me on the floor, Friend Kevin; I can feel your shoulder hurting."

Kevin blinked in surprise, and then nodded being used to this weirdly understanding merman. He carefully bend lower with Ben doing the same till Kanou-a was sitting on the floor, and Ben joined him. Kevin got up, standing a little away, eyes sorely watching Ben who sat on the floor with the merman leaning against his chest for support, pale arms holding his tanned upper-arms. The brunette looked so loving and sweet as he smiled, combing more strands of jet-black away from the face and shoulder, whispering, "Thank God you're okay... I thought I would never see you again..."

Kanou-a sighed again, recovering greatly, especially with Ben's aura around him, which worked as a superb healer. He held on to the smaller form, face pressed to the crook of Ben's neck, breathing in the curiously seductive scent of the tanned skin warm under cheeks. Ben curled his hands around him lovingly, wrapping the recovering merman in a blanket of human-heat. He whispered in to the soft black hair, "Kanou-a..."

"Once again, you saved me, Kirby. My hero," Kanou-a breathed, he sounded so romantic that Ben's face went from normal to brilliant red in a matter of seconds. Kevin was awed at the speed of that change; and he stared at Ben's pout-smile of happiness, and then the raven just wanted to _leave _the two idiots cooing like Romeo and Juliet.

"Kirby...Did you bring the conch with you? I felt it's call though it sounded oddly modified and confused," Kanou-a spoke softly.

"No, that was Kevin, using Alien Tech to copy the conch's magic to find you," Ben asnswered in a way Kanou-a would understand.

"Oh, clever Friend Kevin... what would I do without my Friends... and my Hero..."

Kanou-a's long-nailed fingers reached up, winding around the neck to run into the chocolate hair, holding the head by the brown hair as he sat up, and looked Ben in the eyes, deep and loving. Ben smiled back, feeling that magnetic feeling tingle in his lips, which he absentmindedly licked. Kanou-a smiled, drawing closer, but suddenly the two of them paused.

Green and blue eyes whizzed sideways and looked at Kevin. Kevin looked back and put out his hands in defence, "No, no, go ahead, don't mind me, I'll, uh, I'll just go over there and watch the door. Just tell me when you are, um, _energised_ enough." Kevin looked at the floor and quickly turned walking to the door, where he stationed himself.

Kevin groaned. Was this what he was gonna do all his life? Watch doors?!

Kanou-a turned to Ben. Ben looked at the pale face that still looked weak. Kanou-a smiled and gently pressed his lips to Ben's. Ben pushed in, feeling happy and relieved. They kissed softly for a while, mouths opening slowly, tongues sliding, Ben's arms winding around the strong neck.

Ben suddenly felt himself being lifted, although he couldn't make much while kissing Kanou-a, he could feel the air move as Kanou-a seemed to rise up. Since Ben was clinging to him by the arms, and Kanou-a had his own hands around Ben's abdomen, he was hoisted too.

It took Ben a second to realise that the cocoon of water was back in action around the merman's tail. Ben pulled back from the soft kiss when he felt the need for air, only to gasp at Kanou-a who was beaming happily, the colour returned to his fair face, eyes sparkling like they had been before the Extraction. He no longer looked ill, or weak. He was back!

"Wow, you recovered! The change is astonishing!" Ben chuckled. Kanou-a leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, smiling, "Your presences heals me faster, maybe because my body, my soul and my magic know you, and that you are the one to have me matured."

Ben smiled too, blushing just the way Kanou-a loved it.

They remained gazing at each other for a while and would had kept on doing so for all of eternity, but they broke their gaze when they heard a small cough from the side, making them turn to the door. Kevin stood there with a cross expression of irritation on his face that he didn't even try to hide, "Are you guys done yet?!"

Ben looked at Kanou-a with a foolish look, getting a laugh in return. Kanou-a nodded at Kevin, "Sorry, yes, we may leave now!"

"Good, 'cause I would have left you guys in here and gone out myself anyway!" Kevin snapped in a low voice, as Kanou-a and Ben approached him quickly.

Kanou-a looked at Ben with worry, and Ben waved his hand in the air, "Don't mind him, its an empty threat; Kevin's not that bad!"

"Hey! I _am!_"

"I'm sure you aren't, Friend Kevin!" Kanou-a added sweetly.

Kevin growled, "Nobody asked _you!_"

"Oh... there was a question being asked?" Kanou-a tilted his head in confusion.

"Urrghh!" Kevin started to shake like a volcano, but Ben put his finger to his full and smiling lips, "Careful, Kevin! Not too loud!" he teased, repeating Kevin's command from earlier.

If this wasn't a spaceship they were trying to escape from alive whilst rescuing a merman, Kevin would have fed Ben a knuckle-sandwich.

- End of chapter -

* * *

**_Oh my goodness! Bad vilgax! Bad bad bad vilgax! Gross! Hahahah! _**

**_On a completely different note, I think the vilgax from Ben ten series (when Ben was ten years), was way cooler than the vilgax in the alien force series. I mean, he looked more scary in the first series didn't he? I think so. Just compare two pics of vilgax, one in Ben ten, and one in Ben Ten Alien Force._**

**_oh and i have NO IDEA whether the Badge can all that zingo stuff it did; i just assume that Badge is one hell of a badge, and tht any tech that kevin has can be manipulated to do things that it doesnt normally do. nuff said. hmmph._**

**_Oh yeah, so whtdya think? :D hope this chapter is ok too! :D you guys knw wht to do! Wait, no, no, not 'leave'! I meant 'review'! God, you guys are sooo...so sweet! (offers candy with a cute smile) want some bribe-candy? It has no wrappers in case my fanfic frnd wolfy eats the wrappers; like last time she ate the pillows I gave you guys, and the popcorn box tht she ate popcorn off! My lil Upchuck buddy! Sigh... I love you nonetheless! And i love you all others as well!_**

**_Mwaaaaah!_**

**_Review plssssss!_**


	17. Bots and Bombs

**Whoohoo! New chapter! :D**

**Funny how everybody loved the little bevin fluff I weaved in the previous chapter fufufu! :D**

**Kanouxben, thts a fricking cool idea to watch dragonball z fights to write dragonball z fics! :D yea I love them, they're so cewl, makes me watch with a gape, really! All the screaming and growing hair and bulging muscles! Hahahha! Thnk you for the advice, yes I shud observe alien force fights carefully! Mwah! And yeah i knw, vilagx part was really gross! :D and aw, im glad you liked tht particular line so much, I feared it wud be too cheesy but who am I kidding! Thnk you! ure amazing!**

**Reyna gold, well im more of a side-character centric, I have no really absolute reason why (maybe coz most of the time the sidekick is a raven, and im bonkers for ravens!) :D ... ok lets see, to answer youre question; my favourite alien definitely has to be BigChill; I just fell in love with the wings-cloak concept I mean, wow! His wings can actually fold over him like a cloak! Thst so cewl! And he (or she?) is really beautiful too! Wow! Ultimate bigchill is good too, but I like the blue one coz its ...chillier. :)... ok, now for youre request; BenGax actually sounds neat! Haha wht a cool name! Man, I dunno how I can squeeze that concept in here more; I mean I just mentioned it as a fate for Ben; coz after the omnitrix is taken, wht else will Veremnos use Ben for? He doesn't need a sexslave whn he already has C-Mexx, but if anyone does want Ben as a sexslave, it wud be someone who knws Ben a lot and wants to see him sadistically. So I chose vilgax hahah! Hmmm, tough to slip that relationship more in here whn theres already a lot of tension, but gah, a little girl and her dirty dreams :3 hard to resist! I'll think of something... no sweat, I will! :D**

**By the way, someones making use of my candy! wolfychan, you lovely idiot! Hahah! **

**Ok... its story time!**

**Warning: this contains : boyslove/ yaoi/ gay stuff/ merman (whys _this_ supposed to be a part of the warning?!)/ angsty things?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ben ten alien force...! :D everybody knws tht. **

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**_Chapter seventeen : Bots and Bombs_**

Kanou-a followed the two teens as they snuck their way back to the Office that Gwen and Julie were in. The merman was astonished to learn that the girls were ready to take on the many tough robots for his sake, and it made him happy and at the same time worried for their well being.

Finally, they reached the Office's door that was only half-locked by Kevin.

When they unlocked the door and stepped in, the sight within was _not_ so... relieving.

It seemed most of the Office has been extremely trashed, the desk lay on its side, already half of it was destroyed; the walls were decorated with missed shots of bullets, manna-bolts and Ship-bullets; a few robots lay de-limbed but the number was nothing compared to the rest that had survived and were unhurt. Currently, Power-suited Julie was busy tugging at the foot of a Gwen whose hair was in the clutches of one very angry Metron.

"Cousin Gwen! Friend Julie!" Kanou-a gasped in surprise.

The girls turned at the sound of the merman, and smiled at the arrival of the three boys. The robots paused too.

"Oh... hey guys!" Julie smiled, without leaving her hold on Gwen's foot, as casually as if nothing was wrong in the world, "Oh, you guys found Kanou-a! Thank God!"

Gwen smiled despite her head being attempted to be pried off her neck, "Uh, great to see you guys, but um... if you don't mind, we would like a little help...?"

Ben and Kevin had been frozen in amusement about how the girls managed till now. But at the sound of 'help' they perked up, with the two teen males shouting, "Coming! Hold on girls!"

But to their surprise, Kanou-a put out his right arm to his side in a blocking gesture, his eyes wrought on the robots. "Stop; _I_ shall do this."

"Wait, whu?" Ben stammered, looking in confusion at Kanou-a. Kevin did the same, raising an eyebrow.

"Dude," Kevin pointed out flatly, "We can't take on these robots as _a group of four_, and you wanna try it out, _alone?"_

"Yes, I want to. I know I can defeat them," Kanou-a spoke in a low firm voice, suave blue eyes still watching every robot that seemed to be suddenly watching him back.

"But Kanou-a-" Ben started.

"Kirby, please move back," Kanou-a spoke in that same low voice, still watching the robots. Ben looked around and saw that most of the robots were watching Kanou-a in a mass of eerie blank stares. It was creepy.

Ben moved back at Kanou-a's words, nodding although unsure about Kanou-a, "Ohh...owkay," he turned to Kevin and jerked his brunette head towards the Metrons. Kevin also saw the tensed pause among the metallic army, so he too stepped back curiously.

"Fine, then. Take 'em." Kevin shrugged, secretly curiously to know how a merman (who had never even known what a robot was, until recently) could 'defeat' tens to twenties of them... alone.

Kanou-a looked around at all of the robots surrounding in the room, then his eyes fell on the ones who were attacking the girls but currently watching Kanou-a. He narrowed his darkened but glowing eyes at them, and the robots turned their bodies to him, poised for a fight, after dropping the girls from their grasp as if they were of no more interest than the shiny merman staring them down. Well, that was a little insulting, but the girls were too tired-out to retort to their freedom. Julie made Powersuit-Ship leave her body and cuddled his pet-like to her chest as she got up with Gwen's help. The two girls gathered themselves to their feet and stood back to watch in curiosity.

Kanou-a stood in the centre of the room, and the robots (who saw him as a potential threat) were all poised with their guns, ready for shooting him down. The teens could clearly see a change in Kanou-a, the sort of _bloodthirsty_ look was definitely new on his otherwise kindly face which incidentally and suddenly had gone indifferent and cold, as he kept staring at all the robots one-by-one. He looked a predator eyeing the herd of prey, where unity is strength, but he didn't fear it. The robots were all seemingly aware of him as well, waiting for his actions to counter with thousands of raining bullets.

A low rumble sounded, alarming the teens and their faces paled when they realised that it was not a rumble but a –

"Did your boyfriend just _growl_, Tennyson?!" Kevin whispered in shock. Ben just continued staring at Kanou-a in rapt fascination knitted with a little fear; it was the first time he had seen or heard Kanou-a like this.

Kanou-a was a sight; he was a little hunched, hands at his either side were poised with curled fingers and long nails. His stood very still, only his eyes and his head would turn as he silently observed all the robots; his eyes were the blankest shade of deadly azure that the teens found intimidating. When the robots had taken one step closer, that was when he had emitted a low growl, it was rumbling and deep as if coming from the ceiling one moment, and the floor the next, and then from everywhere in a confusing manner. He sounded like a panther sending a warning.

Ben gasped softly in realisation so that only his three friends could hear, "Kanou-a _did_ tell me that mermen were also hunters... just I never thought I'd... I mean, I never thought he would be one too, you know, being the Prince and all...!"

Julie whispered, "Is it okay if I told you he's _seriously_ scaring me right now?" her voice wavered a little, her brown eyes watching the predatory merman remaining unmoving in the silent cold war of stares with the robots who refused to move.

Gwen added, "The bots are confused; they usually attack by now, but somehow they're not...It's like as if the Kanou-a's so scary that even the lifeless Metrons find it creepy!"

A few of the robots inched a little closer to the teens deciding for some of them to take on Kanou-a while the others make do with defeating the teens as they have been ordered, but Kanou-a turned to them and snarled angrily. Ben and his friends recoiled a little, to see the fangs gleam in Kevin-faced Kanou-a's sneer, the growl sounding again, as the fins on his shoulders and arms stood up threateningly.

For a second, Kevin found the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, too. _Ok, the guy's scary, but he's complementing my bad-ass-ery with that face. For once._

The robots who had inched to the teens turned to Kanou-a instead; now,_ every, single_ Metron in the room focused their attention on the merman, surrounding him in a large circle.

Then, when he realised every robots was now focused on him, Kanou-a straightened up, his hands rising from his sides, to stretch out in front of him, his eyes still flashing around slowly at all robots he could see. Kanou-a kept his hands out, and then closed his eyes slowly, muscular chest inflating as he breathed-in deeply. His fingers splayed out, with small sparkles of blue formed only barely visible around each finger.

Kevin noticed a small tension among the robots, who were suddenly a little frozen. _What the Hell is this?! Some sort of a play or magic show?!_

The four teens saw Kanou-a's long-nailed fingers slowly curl as if he was gripping something, while the hands remained outstretched, and the robots froze even more.

Four gasps sounded together when Kanou-a suddenly shot both his hands up above his head, and at the same time, a small sphere of blue tore out of each surprised robot's chest and floated up above their heads. Like a puppet master who had suddenly pulled up the strings, Kanou-a's raised hands could be seen holding several electric blue strings of manna that held all the blue cores that had zipped out of all the robots.

_Holy fuck he didn't...! _ Kevin's mouth fell open.

Without the energy-sustaining blue core of power that powered their circuitry, the robots froze in confusion and then they all went limp and started to drop to their knees. The teens gaped, as all around them and Kanou-a, the robots fell like wilted leaves of a tree in autumn, metallic 'clangs' and 'blancks' clattering everywhere as they all fell dead on the floor, every last one of them.

Kanou-a still remained with his hands held above his head, fingers holding the strings with the levitating blue cores of several in numbers, floating exactly where they had been, that is, above their fallen hosts. Kanou-a brought his hands together from above his raven head and gathered all the strings in his right hand, dropping his left hand to his side.

Like a cowboy (as a stupefied Ben observed) Kanou-a spun the strings around and around, thereby all the cores met from their centrifugal spin and melded into one big watermelon-sized core. Kanou-a spun it more and suddenly swung his hand down, and the core came plummeting to the ground and blasted at the floor in a small explosion, disintegrating completely; the effect of the blast making Kanou-a's hair flutter sideways, in the opposite direction.

The teens coughed, covering their faces with their arms, and swatted away the smoke, and peered until the smoke cleared only to show Kanou-a in his glory with the same blank look of supreme cold indifference that was, at the moment, planted on the floor where the blast left behind a black splat. His face was calm and uninterested, his hair was fluttering gently, hands at his side, muscular chest heaving slow with the gems around his neck shone and glittered catching the light of the room, while the mass of fallen dead robots lay all around him. He looked like an irresistible God of Destruction. The fleeting smoke-effects just made it better!

Ben's heart drummed loudly. _Maaaan...if anything, I'm turned ON!_

Gwen and Julie stared with their mouths open wide. Kevin blinked, clearly, he was surprised at the ingenuity of the merman at single-handedly defeating an entire lot of Metrons, in the matter of what... minutes?

_That son of a ..._ _He kept his word... and he's not even breaking a sweat...! Impressive._

Kanou-a's head slowly lifted up, and his cold nonchalant blue fell on the four, which caused them to freeze in reflex.

Suddenly, the look on Kanou-a's face fell clean off and was replaced by his usual radiance of friendliness, as he zoomed to them, worry in his voice, "Friends! Kirby!" he reached them, looking a little apologetic, "I'm sorry, were you hurt during the explosion?"

Neither of them could speak, but they _did_ shake their heads. Then, they just stared at him, until the emotions brought life to Ben's tongue, so he stammered, "Kanou-a... that ... was..."

"Yes?" Kanou-a wrung his hands nervously. He had never let his hunter's side show to Kirby, fearing that the human would be scared of him. And now he was driven by necessity; he could not let his friends deal with the troublesome creatures called 'robots' when they were already so drained out and tired, and especially when he himself had the ability to wipe them out in a flash as he did.

"That was AMAZING! WOW! YOU BLEW MY MIND!" Ben screeched throwing his hands up in teh air in the excitement of it, but shocking Kanou-a at the amplitude of his voice. The merman gasped as Ben launched himself at him, hugging him around the neck tightly, "It was sooo cool! I could not stop watching you, you were awesome!"

Ben pulled back and shot him an admiring grin accompanied by a blush of appreciation. Kanou-a looked stumped as he blinked, "I was?"

"Of _course _you were! Look at us, we were _practically speechless_ in your awesomeness!" he turned to the other three, to ask enthusiastically, "Right guys?"

The girls nodded violently, still unable to speak as their eyes shone in great admiration, making Kanou-a's face light up in a smile. Kevin, as always, just folded his hands over his chest and looked away with a manly pout-frown-thing.

Kanou-a looked a little worried at the raven, but Ben added, "C'mon Kevin! Admit it, I saw the look on your face, you thought it was awesome too, right?!"

Kevin shrugged bluntly, "Yeah... it was _kinda_..." he kept his voice low and uninterested, "..._ kinda_ intimidating..."

Kanou-a's face lit up again.

Ben turned back to Kanou-a while the girls shot Kevin angry glares like a bunch of mothers. Ben gripped Kanou-a's face in his tanned hands and said, "That was just too cool! I _had_ to say it again! The whole predator-thing you had going? Super hot!"

Kanou-a's face brightened, he scrunched his eyes and his cheeks flushed a strawberry pink from within Ben's grasp as he chuckled, "Thank you, Kirby!"

Kevin rolled his eyes, _Great... just when he actually looked cool out there, he has go ahead and ruin my face with a blush! Goddamn!_

"HEY," Kevin snapped (not caring that he sounded a little pissed at the indirect abuse of his bad-boy charm), making the four of them turn to him, "How'd you figure out to remove their energy cores like that?" his question obviously being directed at the merman.

Ben let go of the merman's face as the later smiled in good nature, "I had previously analysed one creature during the fights we had just after we left my glass prison. I realised that these creatures have no life, yet live on the small core of blue energy in their chests, and hence I deducted that removing the core would completely annihilate them, rather than waste time fighting them when they have the power to be formidable."

The four that listened felt stupid for not having thought that sooner. Especially Kevin.

"Oh." the raven replied bluntly, "Ok, then since that's settled, let's get out of here; the more we stall, the sooner we get caught! The mass murder of the robots will definitely alert the aliens when they realise that their troop is not responding to any commands or demands of progress!"

Nodding, they all agreed to Kevin.

They quickly made their way to the other door, and tried to open it. Kevin had no key, but Kanou-a offered to help again. To the surprise of the teens yet again, Kanou-a raised a hand over the door, but this time, he had a smile on his face and the brightness was still evident in his eyes. Slowly, tendrils of water crept up the large doors. Small hisses and fizzing sounds emanated as the door started to _dissolve_ in front of the teens, till it was nothing but a small puddle of melted metal.

Before Ben could coo in the 'awesomeness' of it, Kevin egged them to keep moving before they were caught.

o.o.o

They slunk their way along the corridors, hoping that they haven't been spotted. Somehow, they hoped to retrace their ways, though that was easier said than done, given the several windings and several forks that had got them in a knot. Already, they had doubts that they were lost.

"Why can't we just blow a hole in the roof and fly out or something!" Ben huffed with a sigh. All the ceaseless sneaking and tiptoeing was starting to take its toll on the brunette's patience.

Kevin retorted, "Seriously, Tennyson! Its like giving them a call outta the microphone, going _'Look at me! I found the merman and I'm bailing him out! Come and send more Metrons at us, we love dancing with them! Wee wee!'_; You want that, Tennyson?!"

"Hey I don't talk like that!" Ben pouted, "And why are you mad at _me?!_ I just want out as much as you do!"

"Then quit whining, and try and keep it down! And stop making me loose my cool!"

"As if you _had_ any in the first place!"

"What the_ fuck_, Tennyson! Don't go there!"

"So what if I do?!"

Kanou-a looked on in calm stupefaction as the two teens had their verbal showdown in hissing whispers back and forth, faces close and frowning and scowling, like two goats bucking heads. The merman gave out a sigh and turned to the girls, whispering, "Are they... always...?"

The girls nodded simultaneously, absolutely unfazed by the two idiots fighting over there, "They bicker all the time; but they're best friends so they magically just hit it off in a silent compromise in the end."

Just after she had spoken the words, Gwen realised the strong but compromising position Kanou-a held in Kevin's and Ben's lives. She bit her lips and turned to Julie who looked equally worried. Kanou-a's soft voice came almost inaudible but they caught on:-

"So... I disrupted their friendship, didn't I?" he looked guilty and confused as he stared at the floor.

"What? No... no, no, it's all meant to be! Everything happens for a reason, Kanou-a!" Julie added softly, with a reassuring smile.

Kanou-a looked up and returned her smile gently, "Thank you, but I cannot help but feel-"

There came a gasp from the two fighting teens yonder, making Kanou-a and the girls turn to them. They saw that Ben was gasping in shock holding his own head in his hands while an equally worried Kevin had his hands out trying to calm him but not touching him.

"What is it?" Kanou-a asked moving towards them. Ben was the one to answer with his green eyes wild, "I just remembered about the Mutation Bomb thing that Veremnos talked about!"

Kanou-a's face went blanching in realisation. That bomb that Veremnos spoke of, what _ever_ in the world it was, it was going to spell doom to his kingdom, was it not?

Kevin saw the doubtful look on the merman's face, obviously because the later had no idea how dangerous the bomb was. Kevinlooked pensive as he spoke to Kanou-a, "The bomb will create a temporary creature, like a robot but it's got flesh and blood like real creatures. In general, its called a Synthetic Mutant. What the bomb does is to make its body grow ten times its original size and Veremnos' gonna use it to skim out all the merpeople and use them like how they used you."

Kanou-a recoiled in horror, gasping, "What?! They... no! I can't let this happen! The terrible fate, no, I cannot let my people got through the agony I experienced in those treacherous few minutes...!"

"Exactly!" Ben spoke in determination, "So we have to stop those guys from setting off the bomb! So Kevin and I are gonna find them and kick their asses, while you get the girls and leave!"

"What?!" Kanou-a snapped in surprise, "No! I'm not leaving you to-"

"Dont, Kanou-a! I can do this; I've been saving lives for months now!" Ben spoke. He paused and looked down at his Omnitrix and touched the smooth cool surface, "I was saving up the Omnitrix for _this!_ I have to stop those guys and I'M gonna do it! Don't deter me, Kanou-a! I came to save you and get you out to the Ocean, not to get you tangled up in this shit!"

Kanou-a looked shaken as he bit his lip.

Even though Ben was a hero, and even though he had evidently been through worse; being the dominant lover that Kanou-a was, he feared for Ben greatly, and to simply let Ben run off and fight those bad aliens... it didn't sit well in his chest.

"But I can help..." Kanou-a tried to reason, but Ben shook his head, placing a hand on Kanou-a's fair shoulder, "I can do this; trust me! I won't stop till I win! And Ben Tennyson NEVER loses!" he even flashed Kanou-a a small encouraging smile. Kanou-a blinked at him, and looked away, not pleased with the idea at all.

"Aw, c'mon, Kanou-a! Please, have some faith in me!" Ben sighed. Hearing this, Kanou-a looked bluntly at Ben, and suddenly lashed out his hands to hug him warmly.

Kanou-a sighed softly, and spoke into the brunette's shoulder, "I _do_ have faith in you, Kirby; it is just that I fear, for no reason. It may be due to my love for you, that I worry with such intensity, but I do and I can't help it! I wouldn't bear it if you were hurt... or worse..."

Ben held him, hugging him back lovingly, whispering, "I understand. But, I know what I'm doing, I'm the Saviour of _my_ people; let me do something useful for _yours_!"

Kanou-a pulled back and looked at Ben carefully; worried blue eyes studying the green-eyed teen's calm and determined face.

To actually let his beloved, fragile, pretty Kirby go fight the bad powerful aliens was a tough decision, but Kanou-a knew that with the Omnitrix, Ben will be safe. He turned to see Kevin whose face was plastered with a look of wise seriousness.

Ben had Kevin with him. It will be alright. He just had to trust them.

"Fine, I comply." Kanou-a sighed.

He moved up his hands from Ben's abdomen and held Ben's face between his fair palms. He pressed his lips to the brunette's forehead, "But I assure you, if I sense by your aura that you are in irreversible trouble -," he pulled back, looking deep and grave into the emerald eyes while still holding the younger's face, "-_...nothing_ will stop me from coming to you, do you understand?"

Ben closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in the delicate exotic scent of lilies, and opened his eyes after exhaling with a smile, "Yup, got it."

They gazed densely at each other for a moment, till a cough sounded... from who else, but Kevin?

"Is Cassanova done yet?" he cleared his throat, looking at the floor.

Kanou-a moved back, holding Ben's hand.

Kevin turned to the stunned girls who were clever enough to not interfere in the drama. He spoke, "While Tennyson and I get the baddies, you girls should make sure to be undetected as you get the merman outta here. The more they dunno that we escaped, the less you guys have to fight the Metrons. If you see any signs of robots spotting you, then don't think anymore and just blast the roof off, like Tennyson said. Ok?"

The girls nodded.

Kanou-a watched Kevin flick his head away, gesturing to Ben, "C'mon Tennyson; we got an Ocean full of fish-people to save!"

Ben nodded and turned to Kanou-a. The younger gave him a calming smile, Kanou-a tried to return it but a twinge of worry was still evident in it. Ben reached out and kissed him on the ivory cheek gently, and started to walk away; his hand that was held in Kanou-a's was slowly slipping. Kanou-a's hand continued to follow it till their fingers lost contact, leaving the merman with his hand a little outstretched watching Ben walk away, turn around, give him a wave, before running away with Kevin into the darker bits of the corridor.

Kanou-a watched in dismay, but the girls each placed a careful hand on his fair shoulders. Kanou-a sighed, giving them an appreciative smile.

Why must he worry; Ben Tennyson never loses!

After a few minutes...

Ben and Kevin proceeded all the way back to the Office, walking over the rubble of the ruined room to the other door which led them to the other set of puzzling corridors.

"So, no complaints?" Ben grinned at Kevin as they walked.

"Eh?"

"You know, any 'Why should I go with Ben?!' or a 'Why should Ben go with me?!' sort of whining?"

Kevin narrowed his eyes at the shorted male, "Don't dare, Tennyson; or I'll punch your nose right _into_ your brain!"

Ben smiled in good nature, something he learnt to do from Kanou-a, "Aw, I'm sure you wouldn't do that. Not to me, anyway!"

Kevin gave a low gruff groan. Both knew very well that he wouldn't.

"Ok, jokes aside... now what?" Ben sighed, feeling the weight of the soon-to-come action already tingling in his chest and pressing on his head.

"Hmm... well, this time, our plans simple; we just find Veremnos and C-Mexx and stop them from activating the Mutation Bomb and do what we both a good at; kicking alien butt!Hm... to find those guys... I think the area where the Extraction Room is, is where they have the other experimentation stations, so we just have to search a little for a lab or something."

Ben nodded, feeling better that now they had a trail to go on other than just avoiding the robots. His Omnitrix was nearly buzzing with excitement to be switched on again, but that could just be his adrenaline telling him stories.

o.o.o

Veremnos smiled as he let his fingers dance over the large controls. He just couldn't help the sly grin that refused to fall from his face. Today was a great bonus; the benefits and the luxury to come his way, he could nearly feel it, sense it, taste it! So much power, all to be his!

He looked up and saw his reflection on the glass panel of the monitor. He admired himself, and the way how the sly grin he wore complemented his looks. Smirking, he angled his face admiring himself even more until suddenly a rush of sounds startled him and he turned around.

It was C-Mexx who had come sprinting into the room, pushing open the door. He was panting and catching his breath, red hair swinging around his face as he gasped for air.

"What is it, C-Mexx?" Vermenos sighed calmly, the sly grin falling off his face. He was turning back to the controls to continue his work of drafting new and improved DNA signatures for his new set of Synthetic Mutants.

"Commander!" C-Mexx shouted in alarm, "The Specimen is gone!"

"WHAT?!" Veremnos turned around, his silvery white hair swinging as he spun, his ivory eyes wide and angry, "GONE?!"

"Yes! The Master Computer of the Extraction room has been tampered with, so I assume the teenagers from the Office have escaped and are responsible for the removal of the Specimen! I checked the Office, it is _destroyed_ to put it mildly! And all the Metrons we assigned to fatigue the humans now lie deactivated in a great mass, with their Energy Cores annihilated! The humans and the Specimen are nowhere in the area!"

Veremnos could not believe his ears. "Escaped?! Removed?! But the humans cannot leave the Office unless I -" then his eyes widened as he frantically felt his pockets for a particular key... and found it missing.

"Blast!" he swore, swiping up his fringe off his forehead, grimacing in irritation, "Those meddling humans! They turn out to be far more cleverly troublesome than I had calculated!" he banged his hands on the table, feeling white-hot wrath climb up his body in seizing waves.

C-Mexx waited for his orders as the Commander gathered his sense for a plan. Soon, in a matter of seconds that is, Veremnos looked up sharply, his eyes flashing in supreme evil, "Make sure they do not leave the Spaceship! In fact, direct them to this very Laboratory! We will deal with the foolish humans ourselves, in front of our eyes! If they have to die fighting my Synthetic Mutants, I do not care! I WANT the _Specimen_, and I WILL have him!" he banged his fist on the table, "GO _now!_"

C-Mexx nodded, "Yes, Commander!" and spun on his heels, running out the door.

Veremnos stood up straight, taking long breaths through his sharp nose and calming his frayed nerves. If those humans wish to outwit him, he wanted to see how they will succeed with him and C-Mexx watching their every move and countering it with their own intelligence.

He looked at the large machine in the even larger Laboratory, and pursed his lips. His previously-crafted Synthetic Mutants were ready and good to go.

o.o.o

Ben and Kevin walked calmly along the empty corridor, hoping to find the room that they wanted, soon as possible. This is, they weren't hiding or sneaking. No, this time, they were going to face this head-on. face-to-face. Boldly.

Suddenly in front of them, walking around a bend, they saw C-Mexx. Who saw them too.

For a moment, all three froze. Then, Ben and Kevin poised in a combat pose, with a frown each, ready to run at the alien. C-Mexx fought back a smirk, and stepped back; a clear gesture that he was about to run. It would obviously make the teens follow him and that was exactly what he wanted, wasn't it?

C-Mexx turned on his heels, and took off, and the impulse made the teens shoot for him as well. With his short red hair billowing around his face, C-Mexx ran in top speed as much as his slim long legs could carry him, while letting loose his smirk of victory since his face was not visible to the teens running after him. He did not want the clever teens to see his joy at being chased, for it would tingle their senses and ruin the plan and put him in bad terms with his Commander.

Running around a few bends and more corridors, C-Mexx saw the opening door of the Mutation Laboratory, his goal.

Ben and Kevin saw the Lab too, their goal as well.

- End of Chapter -

* * *

**_ok, firstly, crappy title, bxkfreaky._**

**_ i made it aftr i wrote the chapter and i was like 'to sum up the story, its about robots and the mutation bomb.'_**

**_thn i just said the title out loud : Bots and Bombs, and u knw wht it sounded like? 'Butts and Bums' being said in some weird accent! i mean, GOD! seriously, im fricking perverted even whn i try not to be! damn! -_-_**#

_**oh god... by tthe way, just checked out youtube and saw this video showing best moments of Rath in Ultimate Alien? and in the episode where ben turns to Rath for the first time, there was this scene where Rath growls at kevin and kevin is like 'Dude, did u just growl at me?!' and i went 'dituyfghjkhkuyjdgfvnkgjhtryu ihjbnh!', in happiness! i dunno why but tht was so slashy to me! well, a growl is sorta close to something sex-related heeh, so um, well, yaoifangirl fantasies! :D**_

_**and and ... hehe One Direction's new song One Way or Another, whnever i hear it i have these scenes in my head where Kevin is chasing Ben :3 if kevin could sing (greg cipes can sing yaay!) thn it wud be this song! hhahahaahah! i was all 'so cute LOL'! someone shud do this on youtube, make an AMV for Bevin with this song! :D**_

**_Ok, more coming soon! This story is coming to an end ppl! :D no no no not now, I mean in a few chapters! :3_**


	18. To be, or not to be killed

**Hello ppl! I knw, I'm SOOOOOOO much late than the usual update-per-two-days schedule (bows head in shame) but ive been having stuff to handle; pls be kind to me! **

**Aw, Kanoua-xben (wipes fake tears away) no biggie, u still reviewed so im glad just as much! :) and my goodness, did my humble Kanou-a get nicknamed Superman?! Holy fuck! (- kanoua and bxkfreaky go squealing happily- ) Im flattered really! :D thnk you thnk you! (flying kisses sent into the air)**

**Reyna Gold, ok to answr youre cute question 'which nicknames that Kevin and Ben give each other do I like most?'... hmm... I think im going to have to agree with you; Benji and Kev are my fav nicknames for the two! If I went a lil japanese, I wud say 'benjikun' and 'ke-chan'! :D Hey, you're questions not so random given I'm on a bevinish spree too! :D yay! and Oooh goody goody another question soon! :D looking forward to it; pls be easy on me! (smiles cutely) love ya!**

**Oh and, welcome to my reviewers 'plaza', aquadox! I see youre doing the review-spree like wolfychan! :D**

**and ha! new story cover! :D thts my drawing of my superhot kanou-a, incase it wasn't obvious! :D its a piece of my original pic tht has all four of the merman brothers in it! to see full pic, visit deviantart like I said in the previous chapter. hope u liked it!**

**Ok, lets get on with the story, _coz shizz about to go DOWN, peeepaaal!... _XD**

**Warning: this story contains- yaoi/ boyslove/ slashing/ bevin/ a little fighting and stuff. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ben ten alien force.**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**_Chapter eighteen : To be, or not to be killed,... that is NOT the question._**

Ben and Kevin ran after the red-head as fast as they could. C-Mexx disappeared into the Mutation Lab and the boys followed, skidding to a stop as they entered the room.

The lab was huge... and that was an understatement. It was covered with white tiles, white-metal paraphernalia, white ceiling, with white illumination. Several machines and pods lined all the several walls of the lab. There were odd, half-completed creatures of several sizes and colours (different kinds of Synthetic Mutants) floating in cylindrical Specimen Pods, like severed organs floating in jars. Some of the Pods were covered with white shutters. A large cylindrical tank (ten foot tall and ten foot wide) stood at the farthest end of the long room; the cylindrical tank seemed to be covered and hooked with several tubes, wires and rods to a giant supercomputer to the left.

Behind the cylinder was a larger computer as well, and it was (as Kevin whispered to Ben) the computer that programmed the DNA sequences for the Mutation bomb.

Chugging and 'bzzztt'ing sounds filled the air, along with a bland smell of what was guessable as fresh meat. Although it was bearable, it made the two teens sick to their stomachs.

Veremnos was at that bomb-programming computer, hovering in a small hovercraft as he worked on the higher top levels of the sophisticated controls. C-Mexx had climbed on to a mini-hovercraft and joined him as well.

At the sound of the teens running in, Veremnos turned from his spot, frowning down from the several metres' height he was, at the teens who stood below and far away at the entrance.

"Well, well, well, look who decides to _finally_ show up!" Veremnos huffed loudly, folding his arms at his chest, his voice carried through the chilling air and the boys could hear him as clearly as if he was only a few metres away, "The meddlesome humans! All the pathetic trouble you are causing me, especially when my plans were running so beautifully too! The two of you, darn you both!" he shook angrily and pointed at the two teens down below, "Just you wait; I shall have you suffer for delaying me!" then the ivory eyes swept around at the entrance as he demanded, "Where are the females? And the Specimen?!"

Ben frowned, hunching from his combat pose of defence, as he called out angrily, "WE are here! You wanna fight? Then fight US!"

"Me? Fight _you_?!" Veremnos scoffed, flicking at a lock of hair slipping over one of his eyes, "No, no, no! I'd rather run around _unclothed_ than fight worthless humans! My Mutants will do that work for me!" he turned to C-Mexx and spat angrily, "Release the Synthetons!"

C-Mexx nodded and flicked on a switch of a remote control that he had held all this while after running into the lab. Immediately, some of the Specimen pods, that were covered with the white shutters, opened.

Ben and Kevin recoiled as a stench of burning rubber filled their noses as large aliens stepped out of the Pods with a flush of steam; each Syntheton was a medley of flesh , metal and rubber; oddly limbed in odd numbers, some as tall as Humungasaur. They looked like lifeless multicoloured zombies with rippling muscles, metallic appendages, rubbery tubes, and tiny synthetic energy capsules pinned on their backs. Some could fly, some couldn't. They looked powerful and yet graceless as they approached the two boys.

"Ok, they're just huge clumsy bullshit," Kevin (who was already metal-coated with silvery titanium from the walls) cracked his knuckles in preparation, "We can take 'em! Then we get the two jerks up there and stop the bomb-construction!"

Ben nodded, as he squared his shoulders ready, switched on the Omnitrix and smacked his hand onto the surface.

"Swwwaaauummp fffaaaayyyuuuuur!" came the growl, as the Methanosian stylishly spread out his hands, palms cupping long flamed balls of yellow fire.

Kevin and Swampfire charged forward without a second's delay.

Veremnos and C-Mexx watched sparks, smoke and grunts emanate as the two teens took on the hoard of Synthetons lurching at them. For a couple of human hybrids, the teens males were doing well, but their months of saving-the-world experience obviously justified their performance. The sky-view was actually interesting to watch.

C-Mexx turned to his touch-screen clipboard and was about to punch in a few commands, when his Commander's hand grasped his wrist to stop him.

"What are you doing?! Help me complete the long DNA sequences! It will take longer if I do it alone!"

C-Mexx's eyes watched the ivory pair intently, "But, Commander, the Specimen and the females are obviously escaping as we speak; so shouldn't I send for Metrons to capture them?"

Veremnos clenched his jaw in thought. He suddenly spoke, "No. Forget the Specimen."

The younger male's eyes widened in dubious shock. Was this the same person who had banged his fist on the table demanding 'I want the Specimen, and I will have him!'

"But, Commmander... the Specimen - "

"_Think_, C-Mexx, _think!"_ Veremnos hissed into his subordinate's face, their noses touching as he glared into the darker eyes, "Is it worth the trouble of chasing ONE energy-source, when we can complete the DNA sequence and use the bomb that will gather us MILLLIONS of them?! Forget the _one_ humanoid! Help me complete _this!"_ he lashed his arm behind himself to point at the computer whilst still staring at C-Mexx, "The sooner the better; we should not under-estimate the two idiotic pests down there! They are far too crafty to ignore! While they fight the Synthetons, we must complete the sequence and launch it into the water body! I don't want another interruption to take place in my plan!"

C-Mexx gaped a little, and then resumed his cool air as he nodded solemnly.

Veremnos pulled his face away and gestured to the screen. C-Mexx followed as they peered together into the half-uploaded sequences, discussing the appropriate traits and proper biological arithmetic to be considered.

Meanwhile, ...

Kevin ducked backwards suavely as one Syntheton, the colour of a ripe orange, swung a dastardly punch at him with a huge fist. The raven bent fully backwards and smacked his foot against the mutant's face. Kevin completed his back flip, landing nimbly on his feet to see the mutant fallen on his butt.

"Bigger they are, harder they fall. Heh," Kevin dusted his hands. But the fallen had only _fallen_, not '_fallen in a faint'_. So it got back up, muttering incoherent grunts and mumbles due to lack of intelligence. It pulled out laser shotguns from its hips, to shoot at Kevin. Kevin backed away in nervous thought, and his foot hit a defeated Syntheton who lay dead on the floor. Looking over his shoulder, the raven quickly bent and tugged out a flat-sided shotgun from the body and aimed it at the Syntheton in front of him. An onslaught of raining laser blasts followed back and forth.

Swampfire shot off the arm of the purplish beast that chewed on his own arm. "Yuck, get offa me! Hey, don't I stink bad to you?!" and then he paused, "Oh right, you stink worse! How would you tell the difference?!" A kick later the mutant was thrown aside, its lacerated arm twitching on the floor. A growl and animalistic grunt later, the mutant was back on to him, and suddenly, the Methanosian gasped as long tentacles gripped him around the waist from behind and hoisted him. He could feel the syllables of roars vibrating at the back of his neck as the Syntheton that lifted him bellowed.

"Fuck!" Swampfire growled as he flailed his legs, but the tentacles curled tighter and tighter. He managed to kick the face of the purplish beast in front of him into unconsciousness, but the one strangling him from behind was still unharmed. Suddenly, Swampfire froze... to see a cold-faced Kevin in front of him, pointing his laser shot gun right at his Methanosian alien-face.

"K-Kevin?"

"Dun move, Tennyson!" Kevin hissed, then he shot, the red blur racing towards Swampfire's face.

The Methanosian winced but gasped as he felt the tight hold around him slacken as the mutant fell limp, and Swampfire was back on the ground. He turned to his back to see that the dead tentacle-mutant had a badly mutilated face, owing to Kevin's shot. The awed Methanosian turned back to Kevin, who proudly blew the smoke off the gun's tip.

"You're welcome," Kevin added stylishly.

Swampfire gave him a smirk, but blanched and pointed wildly behind Kevin, "Look out!" The raven turned, just in time to shoot one Syntheton in the chest, but the creature was only hurt, not defeated.

And on forth went the relentless battle between the Synthetons and the heroes.

o.o.o

Veremnos and C-Mexx frantically typed away, their eyes every-now-and-then glancing at the tubular projection at the side of the computer. It showed a bar that was half-filled, which meant half the process was complete. A little more and the process would give them the green signal to launch the Mutation Bomb into the Ocean.

How the bomb worked was simple. After about a few minutes from launch, it is supposed to explode, but not in an explosion to dry up all the water, but it will 'explode' as in 'start to mutilate'. It would create a creature on the spot, regenerating by taking on the properties of water, and then grow in the matter of minutes into a huge water-creature. It would then use the little bits of Kanou-a's energy signature (that Veremnos will implant on its DNA sequences), to find all the other merpeople and grasp them.

That was the plan.

And Veremnos was going to do _everything_ he can, to make it work.

Meanwhile...

Chromastone and Kevin stood back-to-back, with their fists tight and put out for combat; Crystalsapien with his charged fists, Osmosian with guns from the dead mutants. Their eyes glanced around to see all the moaning and mumbling Synthetons surrounding them, closing in slowly. Some flew above, hovering like vultures, waiting for any attacks to respond to.

"We're surrounded!" Titanium-Kevin hissed over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off the mutants, tawny eyes currently on one that was lean and resembled a blue mutant beanstalk but carried a large machine gun with inappropriate strength.

"Yeah, I noticed," Chromastone replied in his grazed voice, magenta hands charging with a ball of rainbow-like energy each, ready to shoot at the mutants. He looked over his shoulder, "Out of bullets?"

Kevin shook his head, "Have enough till I get 'nother gun. How about you, you tired?"

"Nope, I can take 'em."

"Then, okay... – GO!" and the teens suddenly twirled and shot in the opposite directions, surprising the mutants who had paused in curiosity. The sudden laser shots from Kevin's gun killed three mutants on the spot by hitting their vital organs; while Chromastone's ultraviolet beam of energy burnt down five in succession. The medley of Synthetons roared in both anger and surprise, charging at them like maddened bulls.

The teens fought again, relentless and energised; it been a while since they had mercilessly killed creatures; since they always had the good-will to never actually _kill_ an enemy but only to _defeat_ them so that the Plumbers can arrest the baddies. But in this case, they were absolutely free to slice and dice the artificial living beings that had no intelligence or thought-processes. They were just flesh-and-blood decked killing machines anyway.

Chromastone had just grabbed the long arm of one Sythenton, swung it till the mutant smacked flat against another and then shot both together in advantage of their contact such that they fell dead... when all of a sudden came the disastrous symphony of terror.

_'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP...'_

"What the Hell, not _now_!" Chromastone looked down at the black-and-green symbol at his chest blinking in a warning red.

Kevin (who had just decapitated one mutant with his hand shaped as a long Titanium blade), spun on his heels and gaped at the sight of the young pretty Ben standing where the Crystalsapein had been. Ben looked vulnerable and confused, with his hands raised to his chest. Slowly he turned to Kevin who looked back. The raven frowned, swearing under his breath. Then he screamed.

"Look out, Tennyson, behind yooou!"

Ben turned, and covered his head in human instinct, thinking he was done for, but shots sounded and the mutant towering the brunette fell sideways with a groan. Smoke cleared and Ben uncoiled his arms slowly in awe. He turned to his back, to see Kevin holding a large machine gun he had quickly pulled out from another dead body just in time. Swirls of smoke seeped out its firing end as Kevin lowered it, his face pale in the rush of adrenaline.

Ben sighed, and called out happily, "I owe you, Kevin!"

Kevin nearly died mishearing him.

The raven shook his head wildly as if to remove water from his ears, and walked over to Ben while trying to not step on puddles of purplish blood-like liquid and severed body parts. The raven slung the huge machine-gun over his shoulder, running his eyes over Ben's face.

"You okay?"

Ben nodded, looking around for a gun to weild till his Omnitrix charged. All the guns that the mutants had were very much sophisticated. Although the ammunition could be easily handled by Kevin, it would require Ben to use _both_ hands to handle even the smallest of the shotguns. Coupling this fact with Ben's poor aiming skills as a human,...and it was not a good situation.

Ben moaned, gripping the sides of his chestnut-haired head, watching the slowly approaching mutants who were confused to see two humans rather than one human and one shape-shifting alien, but that did not stop their want to finish them as per the orders of their master.

Ben, forgetting all the drama that had been going on between him and Kevin, lurched sideways and gripped Kevin's arm like a damsel-in-distress, "What now?! I can't even make a scratch on these Mutants in my human form! By the time the Omnitrix charges up, I'll be history! If I don't do anything, they'll rip me from limb-to-limb! And then - ... Kevin, are you listening?! What are you looking at?!"

Ben blinked to see Kevin's eyes gazing long and hard at the back of a fallen mutant, lying on the floor to their left. Ben followed Kevin's line of sight and gazed too, but in confusion. Kevin's eyes were particularly fixed on the spine of the mutant. Clipped to its back, along its spine, were finger-sized capsules filled with bluish energy processed from Kanou-a's manna. Veremnos had obviously used teeny-weeny bits of the manna sucked off from the Extraction Room and used it on the Synthetons.

"I wonder..." Kevin bit his lower lip. Ben let go of the raven's biceps, and watched as the later quickly moved towards the fallen body and reached out to the capsules. Kevin picked one capsule off the latch that clipped it to the mutant's Nervous System.

Kevin brought it back to Ben and the two stared at it together. Around them, the mutants moaned and inched closer, they were lesser in number, but more were stepping out of the particular Specimen Pod near the computer on the left of the room.

"What? What're you gonna do with it?" Ben asked, his face lifting up to look at Kevin who gazed at the capsule.

"Gimme your wrist," Kevin spoke.

Ben didn't need to think twice to guess which.

Ben put out his wrist with the Omnitrix that was now a bright red. Kevin placed the capsule on the side of its face's width, along its rim, where the capsule latched on to the strap of the device, "Your fishy-boyfriend's energy had healing quality to it, right? He recharged Gwen. Let's see if he can recharge the-"

_'DEEENG DEEENG BEEP-BEEP-BEEEEEP!'_

"Voila," Kevin smirked at the cheerful metallic beeping. Ben gaped to see the Omnitrix almost smiling at him with a greenish grin. It was the first time Ben had seen the Omnitrix go from red to green so fast.

The capsule on the Omnitrix was now suddenly empty. Kevin picked it off the device and tossed the empty finger-sized glass aside. Then, he looked at the airy-faced Ben.

"What're you waiting for?! Go hero now!" Kevin grinned widely, repositioning his machine gun into his hands for a good firing. Ben nodded wildly, switching on his gadget and smacking its surface in eager excitement.

"Beeeeehhhhhhg Chhuuuuuuiiiiilllll" the Necrofriggian sighed in its chilling voice, spreading out its large blue butterfly wings. A gush of soothing cold air blew past Kevin, who blinked at the way it ran sensually across his face, neck and hands.

_Fuck, he did that on purpose._

Bigchill blew a breath of ice at the approaching layer of mutants, freezing them all solid. The bluish alien turned to Kevin, casting him a glance of large emerald eyes, "Sssshall I grassssp all the capssssyyuuuuls from the mutantssssss after I defeat themmm?"

Kevin nodded, "Every, single, one, you can find. Keep them with you, so you don't have to worry about timing out!"

Bigchill nodded as well, going back to making Syntheton-icicles. Kevin shot down three as he progressed.

o.o.o

C-Mexx and Veremnos had noticed Ben ceaselessly fighting the Mutants, without timing out at all, so they guessed that the teens had used their brains... again. But the two aliens wanted to waste no time at all, so they went on uploading the reminder of DNA sequences, deciding to not care about the teens and their progress.

The uploading of sequences was almost completed, three-fourths to be apt, and a little more will finish the job.

o.o.o

"LEMME TELL YA SOMETHING, ARTIFICIALLY-ENGINEERED-SYNTHETON-MUTANT-MADE-TO-DESTROY-ME! _RATH_ DOES _NOT _LIKE BEING PUNCHED IN THA FACE! 'CAUSE ITS _RATH,_ WHO DOES, THE PUNCHING! MOREOVAH, YOU _STINK!_ GET A _SHOWER_, YOU STINKY STINKYMAN! THATS RIGHT! IMMA CALL YOU STINKYMAN, STINKYMAN!"

Kevin sighed face-palming himself, as Rath roared into the face of the clueless mutant he had nicknamed 'Stinkyman' who had dared to try and punch him.

In moments, only severed parts of the mutant remained twitching on the floor by the time Rath was done with him. Kevin shot a glare at the large, tiger-like Appoplexian, who shrugged nonchalantly, demanding in his gravelly roar, "What?! _He_ started it!"

o.o.o

Kevin was smacked flat against Humungasaur during a particular manoeuvre. He lifted himself off the orange-skinned iron abs with a groan, rubbing his cheekbone in pain as he did. Humungasaur would have blushed if he wasn't too busy being in an excited fight-mode. All it took was to tug at Kevin's arm with a single hand, and he had with great ease lifted the raven to his feet; a task he couldn't have accomplished as 'Ben'.

The Vaxasaurian spoke in his warbling thunder of a voice, "You okay, Levin?"

Kevin nodded groggily, shaking his head. Apparently, it was not-so-pleasant having his face smacked into tough dinosaur-humanoid skin.

Kevin looked over his shoulder and then his eyes landed on the two hovercrafts up above, far away in that end of the room. Veremnos and C-Mexx were busy typing away, and Kevin grit his teeth.

"Yo, Dino-brain!" Kevin turned to the Vaxasaurian, who turned to him after knocking down a few mutants. "What?"

"C'mere!" Kevin signalled for the tall figure to stoop since he was too tall. Humungasaur bent forward, till his huge face was a little away from Kevin's, hovering above him. The raven hissed in a whisper, whilst looking pointedly at the hovercrafts that looked so tiny from the distance they were in.

"Look, these mutants are just buying time for the jerks up there! If they complete the bomb and drop it into the Ocean, your boyfriend's kingdom goes bye-bye! I say we _forget_ these sickos and go for Veremnos and C-Mexx before they complete the uploading of sequences. What'dya say?"

Humungasaur narrowed his already tiny eyes and he nodded, "Got it!" his voice vibrated through the air, rumbling into Kevin's ears.

Humungasaur smacked his hand onto the Omnitrix symbol on his chest, and the Vaxasaurian shrank into Ben with a flash of emerald light. Ben pulled out a tiny capsule from his pocket, (where he kept all the other capsules he collected) and attached it to the Omnitrix, so that in case it timed out again, it would immediately suck in the capsule's energy and be recharged without interrupting his upcoming fight.

Ben switched on the Omnitrix again and slapped his palm on the surface.

"Jehhtraaaaayyyyy!" squeaked the red-and-yellow Aerophibian, as he shot for the air, while Kevin took off on his feet.

In a few minutes...

Veremnos and C-Mexx was suddenly shaken from their spots when an unexpected rain of blasts showered on their hovercrafts.

"_What in the world!_" Veremnos growled, as he held on to the rails of the hovercraft to keep his balance, his slivery hair swung sideways. Jetray flew around in circles above them, shooting more neuro-shock blasts from his eyes. The Commander ducked and directed his hand at the flying aliens, sending shots of bluish electricity from his palms. Jetray swam through the air in time to dodge the sparks. C-Mexx raised a hand too and a thin transparent shield of indigo-white protected himself and his Commander.

C-Mexx looked over the rails of his hovercraft, to down below, and saw Kevin run to the computer on the left that powered the Specimen Pods. The red-head winced when he realised that the raven was obviously going to deactivate the computer from sending Synthetons at them. But he refrained from telling his Commander about it, for the silver-haired alien was already extremely angry.

Veremnos turned to C-Mexx, grabbing his hand, scowling like a madman, "C-Mexx! Release the Cublor Larvae!"

C-Mexx pursed his lips and nodded, his curtains of jaw-length red hair swinging. He pulled out a remote control from his pocket and switched on a tiny lever on it.

Meanwhile, down below, Kevin was busy shutting down the Syntheton Regeneration Machine. He was nearly done, but suddenly the ground shook under his feet and he stumbled. He turned around and gaped at what he saw.

"Woah..."

The extremely large cylindrical tank in the room was starting to spilt down in segments, emitting 'glurging' sounds and a flush of steam, to show that whatever liquid it had held was being drained away. Vertical lines formed on its rounding wall, and it started to open up. Kevin backed away from the computer, his face turned up at the huge cylinder as it opened up like a flower.

Thundering bellows and roars sounded, making Kevin smack his hands to his ears and wince.

Jetray paused, hovering in the air, to gaze what was happening down there. The two aliens watched too.

The cylinder's segmented walls finally fell flat to the ground, revealing what it had been hiding the whole time.

Two _hideously_ huge and _extremely_ ugly creatures. That was the mildest way of explaining it.

Kevin made a face of disgust; the two large creatures looked like preposterously magnified maggots, but one was dull blue and the other a sickly orange. Neither had eyes, but seemed to be sensing its surrounding by heat signatures, like Wildmutt. The creatures had no limbs either. The maggots, or Cublor Larvae as they were called, were bellowing and growling and howling, swaying their heads everywhere, and spraying the colourless saliva foaming at their huge incisor-lined mouths.

"God, thats gross!" Kevin grimaced.

Ben and Kevin were marvelling more at its size, than at its appearance. It was as huge as one of those Godzilla sculptures. Or those dinosaur exhibits showing a huge skeleton of a T-rex. And these wormy-things were long too.

The rumbles shook the ground of the ship, and reverberated in the ears of all who heard.

Jetray shuddered from his spot in the air as he eyed the watery-mouthed Cublors. "Yuck!"

Veremnos and C-Mexx squared their shoulders; they had saved these creatures for the last in case their plans were slipping, as it has turned out to be. These creatures were specifically designed for mass destruction owing to its size and acid-spit. Although they looked unintelligent, Veremnos was sure the two Cublor Larvae would keep the teens busy.

Things went from 'bad' to 'yuckity-bad' when one Cublor (the orange one) turned its eye-less ugly face towards Kevin who stood below. It gave a thundering roar and swooped downwards to swallow him.

"Holy fuck!" the raven ran backwards, gaping at the huge shadow looming over him in eye-blink speed. Before he could even think of dodging, he nearly smelt the gross breath, and rooted to the spot, he realised he was done for.

Until a flash of green swept around him and he felt himself being seized violently aside and up into the air, just in time to avoid being caught in a chomp of the Cublor's mouth.

"Woooooaaaaaahh!" Kevin exclaimed as Jetray swept the raven off his feet, no pun intended. He looked over his shoulder to see the Cublor with its fangs caught on the floor where Kevin had stood a few seconds ago.

The raven turned to the Aerophibian's face and grinned with his black hair fluttering all over his handsome face, "Thanks man!"

"I owe you, remember?" the alien squeaked, setting Kevin on the floor far away from the orange Cublor.

Taking advantage of the distracted teens, Veremnos and C-Mexx got to their feet, eagerly resuming their frantic effort to complete the bomb. They had only a few more bits to go, and the excitement was nearly maddening. The interruptions were even more irritating since they were so close to victory, and Veremnos had enough anger bottled inside of him to kill ten people with a glare alone. He grit his teeth as his fingers danced faster over the touchscreen keyboard, hoping to finish the task at hand as fast as he could. Beside him, C-Mexx mutely did the same, although he looked less-deadly.

Jetray and Kevin were having a bad time. Although the Cublors looked like mammoth-huge, dumb, brainless pieces of flesh, they were unfortunately fast, sly and roaring nonstop in a terrifying way.

Jetray could not even count the number of times he had nearly been swallowed by those huge mouths and narrowly escaped.

Kevin had shaped his arms into long blades and tried impaling them into the creature's sides, but it was just pinpricks on its tough elephant-thick skin. Kevin's efforts only rewarded him more attention from the Cublor and then he was back into a racing marathon of 'escape the worm's mouth'.

Kevin panted hoarsely as he swiped at his sweating forehead. He looked around and saw not Jetray, but Spidermonkey, who was cart-wheeling in the air after knocking down a Mutant successfully and tying him up in a cocoon of web.

_Shit! Completely forgot about the Synthetons! _

Kevin looked around, groaning. Things were not swinging in his and Ben's favours. With the Synthetons zombies mumbling and whining around them, and these two giant mutated worms threatening to swallow them any minute if they stood still, Kevin wondered how they were going to stop the bomb from being dropped into the Ocean.

_How did things get so fucked up suddenly..._

Kevin grabbed a gun lying near a dead Syntheton and blasted a bunch of shots angrily at the hovercrafts.

_Screw the Cublors, I don't care whether I get eaten or not; I am not gonna let those two complete the bomb!_

There came a squeal as the Arachnichimp was thrown into the air and landed comically with a 'plop' in a puddle of what was Cublor saliva.

"Oh eeeew, gross-gross-gross!" Spidermonkey chanted, waving its dripping hands wildly to rid himself of the obnoxious goo, but only made the mess worse.

"Tennyson, you ok?!" Kevin ran over to him to help the blue multi-armed monkey up, but hesitated seeing that touching the alien would make a 'sticky' situation for him.

"What do you mean 'I'm okay'?! I'm _dunked_ in _worm-drool_; how do you _think _I am?!" the alien screeched in dismay.

Kevin did his classic eye-roll, and shook his head, "Just turn into Swampfire and burn the mess offa yourself, you dunce!"

"Oh, right!" Spidermonkey blinked its several eyes in realisation.

o.o.o

"No, this is _not_ a good day." Swampfire sighed in confirmation.

He was not actually sure how he ended up in the position he was in. He currently stood _on_ the orange Cublor's _tongue_, holding the roof of the large mouth from squashing down on him. The pinkish tongue he stood on was moving and squirming trying to knock him off balance. Since the creature had no hands to shove Swampfire in, the Cublor's head swung slightly trying to tip him into its throat. But Swampfire made sure he didn't tumble into the uninviting Oesophagus.

He was stuck in a tough situation. He can't really use any of his vine-growing seeds, for he couldn't take even a finger off the roof of the smelly mouth without fear of being crushed, for the Cublor's jaws were strong, and already, Swampfire's arms were shaking in the attempt of keeping the mouth open. He couldn't even shoot balls of fire. All he could do was concentrate on keeping the mouth open, while trying to sway out of reach from the tip of the snaking tongue trying to tie itself around him. He couldn't even make plants grow out of the mouth because technically, it was a mouth, and not ground.

His mind reminded him with acidic precision that the current capsule on his Omnitrix was empty and needed a substitution. Swampfire gave out a groan.

"Ok,... I'm worm-food!" the Methanosian joked aloud to himself, weakly.

"Not if I can help it!" came a smooth voice from behind. Since the Methanosian had been facing the wide open throat, he had to look over his shoulder to see Kevin climb up the mouth.

"Kevin?!" Swampfire gasped, as he watched Kevin shoot him a smirk while climbing up the incisor teeth, and walking in casually, gripping on to the slimy interiors of the mouth's inner cheeks to walk on the tongue. He was then holding up his hands to help Ben support the roof of the mouth; now, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder. With Kevin's great amount of strength added to his own, Swampfire found his arms stop shivering. But the two teens needed to keep their hands up to be avoiding any crushing effort from the creature.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing, Kevin?!" the Methanosian demanded crossly.

"Did you expect me to just _sit_ around down there, while you get swallowed?"

"I can manage myself, Kevin! I would have gotten out anyway!"

"And how, again?"

"Uh..." Swampfire, blinked, seeing he was cornered in the verbal game, so he decided to weigh his bad luck. He grimaced at the sight of the stinking cavernous pink throat.

"How bad is it down there?" he asked in a voice too meek for the manly quality that he possessed in this alien form.

"Mostly acid, I think. Since this Cublor needs food to live on, it probably has a normal animal's system. So, anything that goes down there gets digested. And I think you noticed that its spit is acidic. Not to mention the smell is _so_ bad you'd die inhaling its poisonous gases."

"Ohhhkay..." the intimidated Swampfire looked shaken, "So, how do we solve _this_ one?"

"Dunno. I let go of my hands, and you get swallowed. You let go of your hands, and I get swallowed. We let go together, and we get crushed under the strain of its effort, aaaaaand we get swallowed." Kevin looked to his left, and blinked at the Methanosian who actually looked a little scared, despite his face's black colour.

"C-cmon, Kevin, don't tell me we're doomed?! I don't wanna die being eaten by a _worm!"_ Swampfire sighed in dismay. "Damn,... _think_, Tennyson, _think!_" Swampfire egged himself. His arms started to shake, along with Kevin's, as the Cublor tried once again to close its mouth that the teens kept open. Kevin winced and Swampfire blew a breath of warm air. The veins of their necks stood out on their skin with effort, as sweat trickled down their spines.

The heroes remained still for a moment, thinking on how to tackle their helpless situation.

Swampfire looked to his right, to see Kevin already gazing at him in a weird way. He almost looked thoughtful and calm.

"What?" Swampfire demanded.

Kevin smiled slowly, "Though I don't admit it often, I only want the best for you, Tennyson."

"What?" Swampfire looked confused.

"I'm gonna do what I think is right."

"Huh?"

"You need to be safe, Tennyson. You have a bomb to stop being made; you have a kingdom to save; you have a boyfriend to love; you have an Omnitrix to wield. You are _really_ in need, out there."

"So?" the green-rimmed diamond-shaped eyes widened in confusion, "What're you yapping about?!"

Kevin sighed, looking into the heated and wet throat of the Cublor, "Let go of your hands, Tennyson."

"WHAT?"

"I said, _let go_ of your hands."

"But...but- ARE YOU INSANE?!" Swampfire spat in confused anger, "You're gonna get swallowed! And you just described what happens to anything that goes down there!"

"I KNOW," Kevin hissed, looking at the Methanosian, "And if it costs me my life to save your's, then I'm all for it."

"But _I'm_ not 'all for it'!" the alien growled in his strong masculine voice, his green-rimmed eyes narrowing, "I'm not letting go!"

"_Ben,_" Kevin hissed, his voice speaking his name in a way he does only when he was very serious and it made Swampfire's spine tingle as Kevin continued, "You _need _to stop Veremnos and C-Mexx. The quicker you let go, the faster you can get outta this mouth and stop them. Forget about me. Just _go."_

"NO! I won't!" Swampfire snapped, "There must be some other way! There _has_ to be!"

"There _is!_ And that is for you, to_, fucking, let, go, DAMNIT__!_" Kevin grit his teeth in impatience.

"NO!" the Methanosian replied stubbornly.

"Urgh," Kevin rolled his eyes, relaxing his teeth to sigh heavily, letting his head hang between his raised hands. He then looked up, and turned, his palms sliding on the roof's slimy surface, such that he faced Swampfire's right side. The alien looked back, his face hot and bothered in frustration. Kevin walked closer to the taller alien, and the later did nothing to move away, for he was in shock and curiosity to see what Kevin was going to do.

"You can't make me let go, Kevin!" Swampfire threatened darkly as Kevin approached him more, the raven's face sporting a soft and calm look.

Kevin came closer and closer, Swampfire turned to his right, to face him. Kevin moved closer, till their chests were only a few millimetres away, and their hands raised to hold the roof. Kevin gave Swampfire only a moment's time to breathe, before pushing forward suddenly, thereby smacking his powerful pectoral muscles onto the Omnitrix symbol on the Methanosian's chest.

"What the!" A flash of green light followed making Kevin close his eyes from the intensity, and a few beeps later, Swampfire was replaced by Ben, who found himself gaping and staring up at the raven who was now taller than him than he had been when compared to Swampfire.

Ben's hands, slimmer and less powerful than Swampfire's, shuddered under the heavy weight of the roof he supported. Kevin's biceps flexed tighter within the sleeve of his shirt as he groaned softly with pain; with no Methanosian muscles to help him, Kevin had to bear all the brunt of the weight. And the help from Ben's human form only ranged from 'minimal' to 'none'.

Ben looked up at the raven, his emerald eyes shone in pained fear as he whispered, "Kevin, you're insane!"

"People do crazy stuff when they're in love, dontchya know?" a Levin-smirk came at Ben.

Ben blushed softly, pouting, "Kevin, I'm not going to -"

"Will you grant me one last wish, Ben?" Kevin's voice floated smooth and in a whisper into Ben's ear. It made Ben shut up and stare into the pools of hopeful mahogany.

They stood only a few inches away from each other, listening to their breathing that could be heard even though they were standing in the mouth of a growling and grunting creature. Ben and Kevin gazed calmly, their chests no longer touching however, but the proximity was intimate nonetheless.

"W-wish?" Ben stammered in surprise.

"Yeah. Dying wish, you know?" he jerked his head towards the throat he had established he was to be soon tumbling down, in sacrifice.

Ben gaped, and frowned, as his face went red in blunt irritation, "NO, I _won't_ grant you any dying crap, 'cause you're _not_ going to die! I won't let you!"

Momentarily, Kevin and Ben winced together as the mouth tried to close again, and their hands shook under the pain of counter effort. They let out a strangled breath each, and then went back to glaring at each other softly.

Kevin smirked and shook his head, "Urgh, you know what? There's no point in asking you; so I'm just gonna grant it myself."

"Huh, what're you-" Ben gasped, but Kevin's face came closer, and that made Ben's voice waver and then drop to nothingness. Ben watched with wide emerald irises as Kevin leaned into him, their noses touching. Ben gulped softly, wondering, and his doubts were confirmed true when Kevin titled his head sideways a little and gently pushed his lips to Ben's.

Kevin's dying wish. One last kiss.

Ben felt both flattered and saddened.

Ben whimpered softly, nearly forgetting the difference between Kanou-a and Kevin; the lips felt so identical.

Kevin pushed in a little, smiling ever-so-little, feeling elated on the inside that he would at least die with a cherishing fleeting memory of Ben's kiss. The soft lips that he had felt against his only for two nights, were once again sending him shockwaves up and down his spine in a pleasant way. Slowly, he let his tongue slip and run daringly across Ben's lower lip. The brunette was brimming with a mix of feelings; feelings of fear for Kevin; of grief for Kevin's unrequited helplessness; of dishonesty towards Kanou-a.

Ben mind refused to work. He let his lips open involuntarily, and Kevin only let himself indulge into Ben's mouth for a mere two seconds, lavishing a few quick swipes across Ben's soft tongue that had completely toppled his sanity for several nights from that _one_ fated night. A final stroke as if in farewell, and he tugged his tongue away from Ben's eager one, removed his sealed lips from Ben's, and then pecked the brunette softly on the lips in finale.

Faces still only inches away, when he smiled down at the brunette, both the teens were blushing in different degrees. Ben looked up at the raven, his jade eyes beseeching sadly.

"K-Kevin, N-nuho!" he stammered in grief, "You can't risk your life for-"

"Too late, kid; my life, my rules, my decisions."

Ben gasped, and then frowned with a pout, grumbling, "Kevin! You ca-"

"_I love you, Ben," _came the romantic whisper that made Ben blush a deep red_. _Kevin smirked one last time, making sure he flashed his set of ivory teeth to stun Ben as he always did. Then, Kevin drew up his left leg folding it at the knee and moved it towards his right. Ben looked down at the raven's odd gesture and suddenly caught wind of what he was going to do.

But before Ben could voice out a shriek, Kevin swung his left leg to his leftside powerfully, making his thigh smack against Ben on his waist. This made Ben toppled sideways, letting go of the roof and stumbling on the wet slimy tongue till he fumbled on the edge and fell off the mouth.

Kevin smirked again as he set his foot down again. He didn't have to worry about Ben falling to his death. He knew that the oblivious idiot had enough reflex-skills to go alien before he reached the ground.

And he was right. From his spot on the mouth that was now hell-bent on swallowing him by putting double effort to crush him, making his hand shudder greatly; Kevin saw Jetray fly up into the air and zoom to stand atop one of the large long shelves, so that he could see Kevin in the Cublor's mouth from his level.

Jetray immediately turned into Ben after a green flash. The brunette gasped in shock, as he stared at Kevin, with his arms shuddering and knees shaking, body wincing and hunching under the painful weight of the winning mouth. "No... no..." Ben whispered to himself.

Beside Ben on the top of the shelf, a green flying Syntheton with bat-like wings came up and landed with a grunt. It raced to the unaware Ben, and grabbed him around the waist and shoulder, from behind. Even then, Ben refused to remove his green eyes from Kevin, who looked up from his hunch.

"No.. Kevin..." Ben reached out absentmindedly with one hand, as the mutant gripping him tried to strangle Ben around the abdomen. But this strangling was _nothing_ compared to the strangling of Ben's heart as he saw Kevin actually _smile_ at him.

Kevin gave one last smile that did not lose its shine even from the great distance between Ben and him. Kevin's smile was soft and satisfied, his eyes shone in a melancholy sadness that slowly killed Ben's strength.

"Mmmmpph,..." Ben whimpered, "...This is not happening...not happening..." his eyes narrowed as his brown eyebrows slanted upwards in the middle. His face shrank to a pained expression as Kevin gave him a wink... and the raven suddenly disappeared as he slipped down the huge throat, the last Ben saw of him was his hand with fingers splayed.

The Cublor's mouth shut tight, and it gave a victorious bellow.

Ben gaped, his eyes wide, pupils merely pinpricks on large disks of flashing emerald each.

Kevin's gone? Dead? Digested?

Ben's heart broke that very moment as the shockwave of realisation hit him sickly in the stomach.

"Kevin... Kevin... NOOOOO!" Ben screamed in such high pitch that the mutant strangling him shook in surprise. Tears streamed and dribbled down the corners of Ben's eyes as he continued to scream in full force.

"KEEEEEEEEEHHHHVVVVVVVVUUUNNN N!"

o.o.o

Kanou-a froze rock solid, his eyes wide and blank.

Gwen and Julie (who had been running towards a window they had spotted), skidded to a stop when they realised Kanou-a was no longer zooming with them. Turning around, they blinked to see Kanou-a frozen in a standstill, looking lost as he stared off into space with a voided expression. His eyes looked scary; with their pupils barely visible in the indigo-blue iris.

"Kanou-a? Whats wrong?" they asked simultaneously.

Kanou-a blinked, his face twice as pale that it usually was. He slowly swallowed, and focused his eyes on the girls.

"Its Kirby... I just felt a supreme pulse of his aura... it is... it is _densely traumatised!_ Something is _horribly_ wrong; Kirby's aura is _completely reeking_ of terrorised grief,... something is really... – OH NO."

Kanou-a's mouth fell open as he gasped in realisation.

"Something has happened to Friend Kevin!"

- End of Chapter -

* * *

**_Dun dun dun DUN._**

**_Those of you readers who knw my other stories, you are probably rolling your eyes going 'God, shes killing Kevin... again?!'_**

**_Hehe ... :P_**

**_Drama and angst?! Yeah thts where I rock! Fighting sequences? Not so much. But eeeeeh, I think I nailed it. wht do you think, reader?_**

**_And maaaaan I was sitting back and laughing at my Rath. Goddamn I love that alien so much; hes my second fav, after bigchill. I just love him! And whts more Kevin loves Rath too! Well... technically, not in the yaoi-way. Even though Ben flung Kevin upside down the first time he turned into Rath, Kevin still likes Rath! Kevin said in the original series that "You know, Rath is only alien that makes me wanna get a box of popcorn, kick back and just watch!" and yeah thts a compliment from Kevin, yo! :D uwaaaaa! (fangirling)_**

**_Ok, so anyway... um,... review plsss! :D_**

**_next chapter, MORE shizz about to go down! hahah!_**


	19. To be, or not to be dead

**Oh my god,... :D I am just torchuring my poor reviewers, aren't i?! :D oh you guys, you crack me up! :D**

**Ok, Reyna Gold... like wow, u sound like you knw me so well! well, technically I had been ranting all over the story tht im a Kevin fan, but still, you knw, wow. :D yup I cant really kill Kevin rite? Or maybe I can? Cant? Can? Cant? Can? Hehehehehe... oh, rite, ur question. Ok, well, 'nicknames Ben and Kanou-a wud give each other' right? Well.. actually I haven't got to any to be honest. Kanou-a won't call Ben anything other than Kirby and we know why. And other thn 'Kirby', he calls Ben as 'love', 'dear' and stuff. Ben hasn't called Kanou-a anything than 'Kanou-a' either, so I'm at a loss really :P say... u got any names like tht? Do tell. Oh and by the way, Shotgun? It was actually one of the first fics I read on fanfic website, like two years ago! Wow, it formed the base of my knowledge about the four teens and how they behave and all! Loved the drabbles so much! :D**

**Kanou-axben...aw, thnk you for loving my Rath; I was kinda worried if he sounded weird, but im glad I pulled it off okay! And yeah whn ur review got cut off I guessed it was ur phone again fufufu! :D oh and honey don't fret, u don't have to make up scenarios of wht happens to Kevin...not any more, since heres the chapter! :D hold on tight, this might throw you off balance hehehehe! :D**

**A hearty thnks to all others who have reviewed, I sent u PMs :) rock on ppl! 140 reviews whoohooooo! :D :D :D**

**Ok...so coming to the story; Kevins in big-time trouble! Whos gonna save him! Oh look, (points at sky) its a bird! Its a plane, [- wait, thts wrong, lemme tune it for you- ] look, (points at water) its a fish! its a sumbmarine! No, its Suuupeeer Merman! WAAHHOOOOO! Hahahahah! XD**

**Warning: this story contains yaoi/ boys love/ slashing/ OCs / a lil fight-a-majigs/ slight gore I think? dunno. ... you knw, the works.**

**Dsiclaimer: I do not own Ben ten alien force**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**_Chapter nineteen: To be, or not to be dead,...that is NOT the question, either._**

Kanou-a spun to face Gwen and Julie, biting his lips in doubt.

"I must help them. I must."

Gwen and Julie jumped. The female red-head added, "Wait, are you telling us you're gonna to _go back?!_"

"_Ofcourse_, I must go back! I can _feel_ the helplessness, Cousin Gwen! It is _supremely_ heart-wrenching! Kirby is in misery and I shall not turn my back to this!"

"But Kanou-a! Ben wanted us to escape; you have to get out of here! Ben said he can handle it!"

"Yes, but when he _did_ say that, his aura had been radiating in pure determination, even until a few minutes ago. But at the moment, his aura is helpless and pained! And besides," he pursed his lips and froze the girls with a dense gaze of chilling blue eyes, "I had given him the ultimatum that I would go after him if he was in irreversible trouble."

Gwen and Julie sighed, and looked sceptical as they gazed back at him. They waited for Kanou-a to zoom away after his beloved and then follow him themselves. But to their surprise, Kanou-a just stood there and looked thoughtfully between the two girls.

Kanou-a then spoke calmly, "I have understood that fighting these creatures is quite troublesome, even for someone with a calibre like mine. We mermen are not familiar with fighting such creatures for we live in harmony and seldom take violence as an option for any situation. Nor have we lived in such hostile environments that required extreme fighting. Being a human would be of better help since I see that being a land-animal brings greater agility and advantage in such situations."

Gwen and Julie stared at Kanou-a, each female having her eyebrow raised in awkward understanding. "Um, okay. But...you're point is?" Gwen asked carefully.

Kanou-a put out his two hands, beckoning to them, "Please, come here, I need your help. Both of you."

Gwen and Julie looked struck. They glanced at each other, and quickly approached Kanou-a.

The merman smiled in good nature although his heart egged him to hurry since his beloved Kirby and his Friend Kevin were in danger. Kanou-a spoke calmly but gravely, "I am to perform a special spell. It will take a lot of my power, which I do have in suffice, hence, that is not the reason why I need your help. But being inexperienced since it is my first attempt of this sort of spell, I will need the help of Anodite Manna as you name it, in order for me to perform my spell faster, stronger and better. Will you let me channel some of your energy to meld with mine, Cousin Gwen?" Kanou-a beseeched with his pretty eyes and held out his left hand, raising it a little to emphasis his point.

Who could deny a request to a face like that?

Gwen smiled, "Ofcourse! Anything to help!" making Kanou-a nod. Gwen put out her hand and placed her slim palm on his upturned left palm.

Kanou-a then turned to Julie, whose brown eyes blinked in confusion, "Kanou-a, I get it that you could use Gwen's manna, given she's an Anodite. But I'm just a normal human; I don't have super-cool powers to help you with!" she actually looked a little sad; being the only human in the group was always weird and sometimes made her feel alone amongst the cool trio of teens whom she had always admired.

Kanou-a smiled gently at her, "No one is too simple, Friend Julie. You're ability and talents as a human are your own unique powers and strengths. I for one will need the agility you have as a human; I have observed your fights and I see you have fluid and sweeping motions that I am awe-inspired of. I will find them extremely helpful to me. Also, your ability of Tennis gives you great target skills and quick reflexes, I will be happy if I could benefit from that too! So please, will you let me channel your abilities and energies to meld with mine, Friend Julie?" Kanou-a asked, smiling.

He was always polite and would never do anything to his friends unless he was given full approval.

Julie smiled. For the first time, she felt she had her own advantages and strengths, and it was uplifting to know that a powerful merman stood with a hand outstretched to her for _her_ help, even though she had no alien powers.

Julie nodded, and put out her hand to place her palm on Kanou-a's right hand.

Kanou-a smiled, and closed his eyes. Gwen let her manna power her up and closed her pink eyes. Julie merely watched between the two and waited and finally closed her eyes to follow the two.

A few moments later, Kanou-a's eyes shot open, glowing fluorescent ice-blue. Gwen's eyes shot open too, surprisingly the same blue as that of Kanou-a's. Julie's eyes opened too, the same hue as Kanou-a's and Gwen's. The connection was complete. Now for the channelling.

Slowly, sparkles formed around Kanou-a, circling him, making his black mane of silky hair flutter. A gentle smile grew on the merman's face as his hands slowly tightened over the girls' who tightened their own fingers for easier access.

o.o.o

Ben's world was collapsing. It had been only two minutes since he had seen Kevin disappear and he felt as if it was already the end of the world. With ceaseless tears streaming down his face, Ben sniffled helplessly, letting his head hang, and not even giving a damn about the Syntheton still grasping him in the vice strangle. Ben's breath fell shallow as the arms around him tightened, and he didn't even care.

From up above, C-Mexx was startled when he had heard Ben's wails. Veremnos turned when C-Mexx stopped typing and poked his shoulder. The red-head pointed down below at the orange Cublor, "Commander; that Cublor swallowed the Osmosian!"

"What?" Veremnos snorted with a smirk, his eyes shone evilly as he stared at the Cublor that was bellowing and howling for more 'snacks'.

"Well," the silver-haired alien smirked again, "Good riddance. And that leaves only ONE pest to be dealt with. I'm sure that two Cublors are more than enough for the other bratty human."

A sudden shriek surprised them. The two aliens looked down over the railings of their respective hovercrafts, to see Ben atop a shorter shelf, still in the grasp of the Syntheton.

"YOU SUCKERS! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Ben howled, his toxic-green eyes sparkling in the unstopping tears studding them.

Veremnos's lips twisted, until he burst out laughing, as he shouted aloud, "How sadistically _enchanting_ it is to watch a failed hero continue his warbles of revenge!" at which, C-Mexx nodded calmly with a smirk of his own. Then, the aliens grinned down at the helpless Ben.

"Whoever said that he had failed? A hero _never_ fails; especially when he has _friends!_"

Ben paused in shock at the smooth voice cutting through the air in great power. Veremnos stopped laughing. The two aliens and Ben turned their faces towards the direction of the voice, to see a figure stand at the entrance of the lab. The figure walked a few feet into the room.

Ben blinked away the tears blocking his visions. By the sound of the voice, it could only be –

"Kevin?!"

But a closer examination (by narrowing his green eyes to focus on the handsome person) told Ben that it was –

"WHUH, KANOU-A?!"

Well, the eyes of the person were the same blue; Ben could never confuse them in broad daylight. Yet, how could he digest _this_ person was Kanou-a? The figure had _LEGS!_

The two aliens looked baffled. "What nonsense is this?! Is that the _Specimen_, in a _human _form?!" Veremnos hissed angrily, fingers gripping the railings tighter in mingled fear and anxiety. C-Mexx nodded and added, "This may not mean well for us. He, afterall, took down an _entire_ room-full of Metrons, alone."

Kanou-a had_ legs._

Ben gaped with widest green eyes.

Kanou-a had legs. Long, lanky, iron strong; just like Kevin's, and sheathed in tight, dark-blue jeans. Which emphasised another thing; _Kanou-a was dressed in human clothes_; what he wore was a light blue hoodie, with muffs at the lower fronts, while long sleeves reached at the knuckles of his thumbs, and the vertical zipper in the front of the hoodie was wide open at the shoulders. Underneath the hoodie, he wore a black vest, easily visible on either side of his bare collar bones. His not-wet-anymore silken black hair was open, but it was tied three-fourth down its length. The long fringe of hair (that always licked Kanou-a's eyes) was swept sideways, making him look real good.

Ben, (even the death grip of the strangling Syntheton), blushed heavily with wide eyes and gaping mouth.

Kanou-a stood straight and tall, his nostrils flaring as he stared up at Veremnos and C-Mexx who stared back from the tippy-top of the super-computer's higher levels. The next moment, bluish swirls surrounded each of Kanou-a's wrists threateningly. The swirls turned out to be made of water which could control with ease, spinning around Kanou-a's palms and forearms, charging curiously with bluish sparks. His blue eyes shot around and watched the Synthetons who seemed a little intimidated at the aura that Kanou-a let out. Kanou-a in turn felt disgusted at the smell and the sights around him.

Veremnos and C-Mexx scowled. "Merman or not, we do not care! _Synthetons, get HIM!_" and so said, the aliens returned to their typing; although their haste showed that they really _did_ care that their enemy was here, looking extremely powerful (and handsome while he's at it), all ready to rumble.

Kanou-a gave such a cold look towards the aliens who had turned away, that even Ben felt a shudder climb up his spine.

Synthetons, who had heard the command from their master, focused their attention on the humanoid-turned-human. Warbling and rumbling growls issued as they approached him in their lazy and slow paces, dragging metal-coated boots across the polished ivory floor. Kanou-a shot them all looks of supreme disgust and loathing.

Adopting a stance that he had observed from Kevin, Kanou-a charged right into his first fight as a human. He knocked down three mutants at one go. When he felt a few of them charge from behind, he ran forward and jumped, higher than a normal human, and did a smooth somersault by curling up in to a cannonball, and then straightened out his body in mid-air, shooting right onto the mutants' faces by landing on them feet-first. Once jumping back on the ground in a Kevin-like stance, he swung around when he realised a few were deciding on attacking him from the back again. He directed his hands to the mutants, long fat tendrils of water shot out his fingers and pierced the Synthetons on the chest, immediately killing them.

With those down, several _more_ surrounded Kanou-a who quietly counted them and analysed his advantageous points. Forming a ball of spinning electrocuted water in his hand, he flung it at the nearest Syntheton. Once it had turned into a blade shape and impaled itself on the creature, Kanou-a motioned his hand in a wide circle, and to the surprise of the nearby Synthetons, the blue liquid-blade went through the first Syntheton, lengthened and curved, to impale them ALL of them on the sides, one-by-one, skewering them all like shish-kebabs. The blade-skewer ran along the direction of motion of Kanou-a's hand, circling and coiling around like a snake and piercing every mutant surrounding Kanou-a.

Ben mumbled in completely terrorised awe, as Kanou-a stopped his motioning hand and pointed it up above him. The coiled skewer of charged water shot up to the air, with the many mutants it had 'gathered'. Kanou-a suddenly flung his hand downwards with his fingers splayed, and the coils of the skewer fell powerfully on to the ground, blasting at the same time in a great explosion, which happily blew off a few more mutants who were not caught in the skewer.

Ben winced, feeling the stench of burning rubber and flesh sting his nose. He blinked and saw below, that the smoke cleared up, revealing Kanou-a standing in the centre of the carnage-circle of mutant parts. He was safe in a force-field dome of shining indigo, which protected him from flying debris of his attack.

With the majority of the Synthetons down, and few were being newly made by the computer that Kevin had not succeeded in shutting off but had managed to slow down, Kanou-a let the force-field disappear in blinks, and then dusted his hands. He walked over the puddles of liquidified flesh, odd-coloured blood and burnt rubber-metal-mesh.

And then, the blue eyes turned up, to look at Ben.

From the start of his human-fight up till now, Kanou-a had not spoken a word, and he had maintained a very cold and unfriendly look of blank nonchalance on his face, which was authorative, intimidating and chilling. But the moment he had Ben in his vision, the chill was gone immediately, and the blue irises radiated with protective passion, as did the face shine in the familiar politeness.

A smile suddenly laced Kanou-a's lips; a smile of assurance. The merman-turned-human lifted his left hand up at the shelf (on which Ben stood), and pointed his fisted palm towards Ben. The spinning tendrils of water around his fist started to spin faster, and Kanou-a whipped his fingers open. As a result, a bolt of solidified water shot for Ben.

Ben only had a moment's time to draw in a gasp, when the bolt of water rushed to him, and completely avoided his face, and hit the face of the Syntheton strangling him from behind. Ben immediately felt the strong grip go lax, and the air rush into his ravenous lungs. He took in a deep breath, only to –

"Aaaaaahhhh!"

- let it out in an alarmed shriek the next second when he realised he had no solid ground under his feet; the Syntheton had been dangling him over the edge of the shelf the whole while, and with no alien to hold him, Ben toppled below.

Somehow, Ben's conscience seemed to guess that Kanou-a's_ presence_ was merely enough reason for him to not go hero. Even though he was squealing as he fell, due to human reflexes.

With his eyes shut tight and the air rushing upwards all over him, he gave out a gasp when he felt everything suddenly come to a stop around him.

He had neatly and heavily landed into Kanou-a's strong arms.

Ben blinked. He knew it was Kanou-a who caught him, because he could feel that odd alluring scent of lilies swim up his nose. But he was surprised how the merman-but-now-human had moved from the long distance he was to the spot under Ben, that too, so quickly. But this was _Kanou-a_, of all people. He shouldn't be surprised at all.

Ben opened his eyes slowly, and looked up, like a damsel-in-distress who looks up at her saviour. Kanou-a smiled down at Ben lovingly.

"Kirby," he whispered, settling Ben to his feet, "Are you alright?" he placed his hands on either of Ben's shoulders. Ben placed his on Kanou-a's chest.

Ben looked down, staring at Kanou-a's feet that were comfortably and naturally sheathed in sneakers, that looked just like the ones Kevin had been wearing. Ben looked up and nodded, "Uh...yeah... but... you... how...legs?!"

Kanou-a smiled, a beautiful vision to Ben's eyes. "I performed a temporary transformation spell, with Cousin Gwen's and Friend Julie's helps! I can be a human, but I guess there are limits, for I have until a few hours before I change back involuntarily."

"Woah... that's cool..." Ben blinked down at Kanou-a's strong legs again.

Kanou-a. With legs. Just sounded too weird and ...well, _weird_.

"But, you never had legs before; wouldn't you be stumbling and stuttering? But you fought so amazing just then!"

"I borrowed Friend Julie's agility and Tennis-drawn reflexes. And Cousin Gwen's skills that she calls 'Judo', 'Karate' and, ...what was that now... 'Kendo', I suppose? Also, Cousin Gwen chose what I must wear."

Ben smiled up at him. And the raven smiled back, gentle eyes shining, irresistible face looking even more charming,...and rather familiar...

Suddenly, Ben's face froze. Almost immediately, Ben's expressions of happiness fell blunt to be replaced by another look; his eyes shrank narrowed and laced in suddenly overflowing tears, his nose turned red as did his cheeks, and his face twisted in grief as he gripped the cloth of Kanou-a's blue hoodie at the chest, "K-Kevin! Kanou-a, Kevin! He's...Annnggghhhh!"

The face buried itself into the powerful chiselled chest, sniffing uncontrollably. Kanou-a was dumbstruck. He hugged him, his chin atop the chestnut hair, hand stroking Ben's small back, "Kirby, I felt the terror in your aura; that's why I had come to help you!" and then he drew Ben back by holding his shoulders. Kanou-a had never seen Ben so grieved; the sight was as dampening as it was adorable. He cupped Ben's tearing face in his strong clefted hands, and gazed seriously _right_ into the tearing eyes shining like gems.

"Where is Friend Kevin?"

Ben's lower lip twitched as he pointed behind Kanou-a's head. Kanou-a turned, face following Ben's hand and saw the huge Cublor bellowing. He had seen the two creatures howling and growling, but hadn't paid much attention to them during his short fight with the Synthetons.

"Where? I don't see him!" Kanou-a looked around, hoping to catch sight of the roguishly charming raven who never smiled at him.

Ben sniffled sadly, again clutching the fabric of the hoodie. He just couldn't bring himself to say it.

Kanou-a turned to Ben again, swiping Ben's tears with his thumbs as he asked, "Where, Kirby? Where is -"

Kanou-a froze.

It was then that he saw it. The answer to his question, in Ben's half-lidded jade eyes silently leaking in tears.

"Good God, he was ..._eaten?"_ Kanou-a paled as he gazed wide at Ben. Ben nodded and then suddenly, in contrast, shook his head, "S-swallowed. I dunno if he's alive; but just before he was swallowed, he told me that anything that goes into that thing's throat gets digested..."

Kanou-a hugged Ben silently, and turned both themselves towards the Cublor. The creature was huge and its lifeless aura was demeaning and terrible to read. Kanou-a frowned as he clenched his teeth.

No. He won't let anything happen to his friend. Especially since he means so much to Ben. Although Kevin hated him so much, he was not one to return such hatred to a friend he had made recently.

"Kirby, stay here. I shall go save Friend Kevin," Kanou-a spoke calmly.

Ben was not sure why he was suddenly so freaked out; because Kanou-a had just said he was going to go after the _Cublor_, or because he sounded _exactly_ like Kevin when he had asked to 'let go' during their Cublor-mouth incident.

Ben jerked up his head in alarm, green eyes wide, "Kanou-a! Wait-"

"Kirby; _this_ time, you shall have to have faith in ME." Kanou-a smiled down at him with a pair of dense indigo irises, "I shall summon Cousin Gwen and Friend Julie; I had asked them to stay outside this room, for I didn't want them to be caught in any cross-fires."

Kanou-a raised a hand and sent an invisible pulse of energy into the air. On cue, Gwen , who waited outside the room with Julie, immediately perked up when she felt Kanou-a's energy wave. Together the two girls ran into the room, only to stop a few feet into the room and hold their noses.

And then, they ran to the boys again.

"Gosh, it stinks in here!" Julie squeaked uncomfortably, cupping her hands over her mouth and nose. Gwen, also doing the same, looked around at all the Synthetons who were eyeing them like zombies, "What the hell are these things?!" and then the girls looked up to see the two Cublors, "And THAT! Oh, god! Gross!"

Ben sighed, swiping at his eyes, "These are Synthetons; mutants powered by Kanou-a's energy that sits on their backs in the form of tiny capsules", and he looked pointedly at the two huge maggots, "And those are Cublors. The orange one swallowed Kevin."

The girls froze, their jaws dropping. Their faces turned from the Cublors to Ben.

"IT WHAT?!"

Kanou-a added in urgency, "And _I_ must go save him," he was looking at the girls, "Please help Kirby keep the other creatures at bay, I shall go to the culprit creature!"

"Kanou-a! Be careful!" Ben called out as the raven ran off. Kanou-a paused and nodded. Ben added, "And, up there, on the Cublor; if you see any small capsules radiating with diluted forms of your energy, toss them to me! Kevin found out that I can use them to power my Omnitrix when it times out!"

Kanou-a nodded brightly. He turned back to the Cublor and ran to it, smacking away any Syntheton that tried to be an obstacle.

Gwen and Julie turned to Ben, who was rubbing his eyes sadly.

"How did Kevin end up in a _worm's_ mouth?!"

Ben sniffled again. "He... he..." He found his throat shrink and shrivel as his mind replayed that melancholic glint of satisfaction in the mahogany eyes, just before he had disappeared from view.

Gwen made a sympathetic face as she hugged Ben, and stroked his head like the loving sister she was, "S'kay, Ben; Kanou-a will save him." In reply, Ben sighed and hugged her back.

Julie had wandered a little and returned with a bunch of capsules that she had picked off of the dead mutants, the finger-sized glass spindles cradled in her hand. "Did you mean these, Ben?" at which Ben nodded. Gwen let go of her cousin and watched him receive the capsules from the Asian, and pour them into his pocket.

Grim in sudden determination, Ben clipped two of the capsules to his Omnitrix and levitated one hand over the surface of it. He glanced at Gwen and Julie, "So, who else wants to join me kick ass as a means of avenging Kevin?!"

The girls blinked at the cold green fire burning in Ben's eyes, and they grinned. The next moment, a Power-suited Julie, Manna-powered Gwen, and Swampfire were charging at the Synthetons in renewed courage.

o.o.o

"Commander, the final upload is complete!" C-Mexx informed his Commander with a whisper so that the ones below would not hear them by any chance.

Veremnos's face shone maliciously in the glow of the monitor, his ivory eyes were chillingly glinting.

"_Perfect_..." he whispered in a raspy voice so thickly laced in silent evil joy that C-Mexx couldn't stop the desirable shudder climb up his spine. Then, the silver-haired alien added with a grin, "Launch completed Mutation Bomb."

"Yes, Commander," C-Mexx nodded, and typed the final launch commands into the computer. Veremnos continued to grin like an evil Chesire cat.

o.o.o

Meanwhile, Kanou-a had no goal in his mind but to take down that tangerine-coloured Cublor. His eyes fixated like a laser on the face-less creature, as he ran to it in top speed, his arms were stretched out to either side, long sword-like formations extending from them, slicing away any Syntheton that attempted to run at him from his sides.

Kanou-a finally stood right at the Cublor's feet, well, body; the huge form paused and swung its mouthed face downwards immediately, when it sensed Kanou-a's radiating aura of presence.

"Lifeless, and without intelligence; how piteous you're existence is!" Kanou-a hissed under his breath, feeing more angry at Veremnos and C-Mexx for trying to create false beings as protective weaponry. It was disrespect to Nature, in his merman culture, to think that one could create life and rule over it as if they were masters to servants.

Kanou-a braced himself as the huge head swung down to grab him in its mouth, just as the raven wanted it to think. Kanou-a hunched, ready as ever. When the extremely stinking mouth was just an inch away, in a split second's time Kanou-a jumped in the air, turning a neat somersault, to land on top of the frozen Cublor's head. The confused creature bellowed angrily, spraying spittle everywhere, and swung its head back up in the air, taking Kanou-a with it. Kanou-a did not stumble as he stood on the head, his cold eyes fixated on the skin he stood on.

Long streams of water shot put of Kanou-a's hands and coiled around the head-part of its anatomy, reigning it from moving too much or toppling him over. Kanou-a looked about, and sensed diluted forms of his own energy blinking from the creature's back.

A few other tendrils of sparkling blue shot out of Kanou-a's busy hands, and combed off the capsules lined along a metre's length of its otherwise very long spine. With the loss of stored energy, the Cublor growled even more in irritation.

Kanou-a looked over the head of the Cublor, in attempt to find his lover, but he had no clue and no time to track him down. So he called out, "KIRBY!" and in response, several adorable little grey creatures looked up from the floor, speaking together in vibrating tones, "Ka-nou-a! Yes?"

Kanou-a blinked at the little Sonorosians.

"Capsules!" Kanou-a announced, and the tendrils he controlled tossed the capsules in the air carefully. The little Echo-Echos ran around, each grabbing a capsule, some of them multiplying to catch a few other capsules that flew out of reach.

"Got them-all. Are-there-any-more?" the vibrating voices spoke together.

Kanou-a smiled, "None! But if I find any I shall hand them to you!" A moment of contemplation later, he paused as he yanked at the tendrils on the Cublor, like a jockey silences his horse, and then added:

"You look fucking adorable!"

The Echo-Echos all blushed a weird red at the same time, their eyes wide. Gwen and Julie snickered from their positions.

"Uh-hh; Thank-you," Echo-Echos remerged into one being, and ran off, flustered, taking its embarrassment down on one Syntheton that nearly stomped on him as if he was a cockroach. Echo-Echo screamed at him such that the mutant was thrown at least three feet into the air.

Kanou-a retained his attention on the Cublor, resulting in his face leaving its kindness to be replaced with cold indifference as he tackled the creature to stay still. With its energy reserves stripped, it was now slower, but it had enough 'oomph' to keep huffing and swaying angrily. Kanou-a stared down at the head he stood on, reading through its flesh and metal to scan its head; he wanted to find out its 'core' and remove it, similar to how he had easily terminated the Metrons.

Sure enough, Kanou-a found a large square-shaped box that was embedded inside the flesh of its head, it was buzzing in energy and electricity; it was what probably gave it the little intelligence it sparsely had.

Namely, the circuit box, as Kanou-a didn't know.

Focusing his tendril-tethering to one hand, Kanou-a freed his right hand, and directed it to the skin he stood on. A glow of sharp whitish-blue shone around Kanou-a's hand, soft swirling winds forming around him, making his fringe flutter against his eyes. The contours of his face and neck were well-defined in the glow from his hand, which got sharper and brighter. Suddenly, Kanou-a pulled back his hand and trust it forward again, piercing his hand _right into_ the flesh with a loud grunt of effort, his body falling to kneel at one knee. The tendrils keeping the head at bay shook violently as the creature felt its head penetrated. Although it was only like a pinprick in comparison to the size of its head to that of Kanou-a's hand, Kanou-a's energy formed a thick beam and it drilled deep into the flesh, alarming the Cublor even more.

Ben, Gwen and Julie gaped at the sight, feeling their blood freeze at the blank stone-cold expression on Kanou-a's face as he concentrated in his task.

A moments later, Kanou-a tugged at his hand that had been shoulder-deep in Cublor flesh. He pulled out his hand with another loud growl, slimy blood coated all over his arm, even though his hand left the head, his hand were clawed, because his beam of manna was still deep into the flesh for had gripped the circuit box from the inside and was tugging it out too. Kanou-a stood up, and yanked his hand further back, and the energy-beam finally tore out, with the box in the grip of manna-fingers.

The creature tore into a furious strings of roaring in pain.

The three teens from down below slapped their hands to their mouths in disgust.

Kanou-a looked absolutely unfazed as he levitated his prize; dripping in red blood was a huge box of torn cables, flesh, metal and rubber strips that sat in a beam of manna which resembled an enlarged version of his own hand. Kanou-a remained still, with his hand raised, controlling the powerful manna holding the circuit box he had unfeelingly ripped right out the Cublor's head. Kanou-a only took a pause, before curling his fingers, making the beam of merman manna curl its fingers too, crushing the circuit box to a mush of screeching sounds, reduced metal and dying sparks.

Kanou-a flung the wasted piece aside, which took a long way down to fall and land with a dead splat on the ground. Ben and the girls gaped, following it, and looked back up at the raven, who held the tendrils to keep the extremely maddened Cublor still. His blood-coated arm cleansed itself and became unstained again.

With no more circuitry to program its movements, and the bio-energy being used-up in its efforts of ditching Kanou-a, the creature's growls lessened till it was only rumbling and grumbling and finally with a howl it started to swoon to one side.

"Incoming!" Ben screamed in panic, immediately going hero.

"HUMUNGASAAAAAAAUUUR!" announced the alien; scooping his too-stunned female friends into his arms and running away from the area that the Cublor's dead body would cover soon. He ran away just in time, before the Cublor's body hit the ground with a ground-shaking 'thump'.

Setting down the girls on their feet, and a flash of green later, Ben joined the two dumbstruck teens to gape at the huge fallen body, leaking blood by its head. Kanou-a was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's, Kanou-a?" Ben asked. The girls turned to him. He looked at them and saw their sick expressions, with the greenish-tinged cheeks.

"Oh." He turned back to the hideous form. He sighed dully, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

o.o.o

And what about Kevin?

Well, earlier, when the huge mouth had closed down on him, Kevin's bad luck had activated. The first thing that happened was that his shoulder snapped, and he broke a couple of bones. Even before he had entered the mouth. Great.

And then, he was tumbling down the long Oesophagus. Sure, it was '_fun'_. He sourly reminded himself that sliding down this slimy, wet, hot, acidic, fleshy, lumpy tube was just like a gory version of sliding down one of those chutes he liked at the amusement parks when he was little. Those days, his mom would be at the lower end of it, with her hands out and her face smiling and when he appeared with a flushed happy three-year old face, she would catch him before he had the chance to land on the ground on his butt.

Only here, there was no mom at the end of this chute to greet him. There was only death, and a lot of acid.

Kevin shuddered as he could FEEL the growls of the creatures ring as if from inside of him.

He could feel the acidic spit starting to act already; it was slowly hissing as it ate at his clothes, making dark decay patches on his pants and shirt. He even felt the heat on his skin where ever it came in contact. Finally, he shimmied down the to the end of the disgusting tube, only to be thrown forward.

"Fuck!" he growled, the stench hitting him full on the face, the heated fumes spinning in the air; he was now in the damned stomach.

It was an acid pit. Like a miniature hell. Without flames, or light that is. And instead of demented souls howling in misery, it was the Cublors trachea emitting the deep roars, even worse to listen to from the inside of the body than the outside.

Kevin stood in a lumpy 'ground', sighing. His left hand was hanging paralysed and fractured from his half-broken shoulder. He was knee deep in gurgling hot liquid. He realised the white-hot heat tingling his skin through his jeans wasn't the temperature, it was the strong acidity. And the place stunk so bad, his right hand flew to his mouth as he felt the urge to hurl. Kevin could not see anything, because it was dead-dark.

Well, what would one expect in a huge maggot's tummy? A well-lit train terminal?!

He groggily cursed his breath, and pulled out his Plumbers Badge. Although it was useless for communicating anyone from the spaceship, at least it could work as a torch; it cast greenish light everywhere, making the gruesome surroundings look even more sinister with its greenish quality. Kevin looked around.

Great. He was in a cave made of moving pinkish flesh, coated in slime. It was filled with stomach acids, the shallow end being knee deep, and the deepest would be, Kevin guessed, enough to hold a twenty-person army.

Kevin jumped, he could feel the acid eating away at his shoes, and it burnt real bad. He sidestepped wildly, stumbling on a mass of lumpy flesh and moving veins that protruded through the 'ground'. He stopped only when his left side had hit the wall, feeling grossed out at the slime that now wetted half his face.

"Yuck! If I'm to die, atleast let me die with a good face, man!" he grumbled to himself, swiping at the slime. His face was feeling curiously hotter, but he didn't want to dwell much on it; he knew that he was going to be reduced to a boneless mass of decayed flesh in minutes, anyway.

Kevin looked at the wall, directing the Plumbers Badge to it, to see its uneven surface. Kevin poked it and prodded it, and calmly understood he was really doomed; there was no way he could tear through flesh as tough as this. He was _history_.

Looking around, Kevin sighed. He climbed up a few fleshy blobs and walked along the side of the 'cave' where the acid levels didn't reach him, yet. He walked a little, till he found a lump attached to the wall that looked big enough for him to sit on, and was a few inches above the acid-river's level.

Kevin huffed silently as he sat down on it, folding his legs up to make sure it didn't touch the acid level. Sure, he was going to die anyway; but he didn't really want to watch his legs dissolve in front of his eyes. He looked up and around. The acidic gases of the air would kill him any time now. Then, it would  
be better to decay, for it wouldn't hurt if he was already dead, right?

Kevin smirked. So this was his end, huh?

He swept at his forehead; he was sweating, and it was sweltering hot in there, it was like a Sauna's temperature devices had decided to 'up the ante'. And fill its bath with acid.

He could feel a little of his clothes already charred and eaten in places. He examined himself, and felt absolutely unfazed to see holes on his shirt around the chest, and elbows, a few open patches at his knees and hems.

_Heh. Easy torn jeans. I get to die in style, after all!_

He calmly observed his hands and sighed. His left shoulder was already wobbling with broken bones. He was burnt in several places too, the patches of skin turning red and blistering where the stronger acids had swept on him. He could feel a prickly irritating on his neck as well, as a slow trickle on his skin told him that he was bleeding by his collarbones.

_Hmmph._

The reason why he was holding up at least till now was because of his strong Osmosian powers, making him durable and strong. Any normal human would have passed out by now and turned into a half-boiled egg.

Kevin sighed again, leaning back and resting his head against the wet wall. His paralysed and fractured left hand lay across his waist, and his right hand supported him on the lump of flesh he sat on. The Plumber's Badge lay next to him, throwing its strong light everywhere.

_Hey, at least I'm dying happy... I got to kiss Tennyson one last time..._

That was a good thing to dwell on. He smiled to himself.

Tennyson. Soft brown hair. Green fiery eyes. Pouty pretty pink lips. Slim and feminine physique. Nice.

Usually, when people are about to die, they have fleeting flashbacks, according to that famous saying of 'watching your life flit before your eyes'. But what Kevin first saw was not his past, his family or his escapades. No, he saw himself on all fours, towering over a sleeping brunette who moaned and whimpered under the expert ministrations of his hand on the younger teen's groin. Ah, what a night _that_ had been.

Kevin remembered how amazing it was, the sensation of Ben going putty in his hands, feeding his ears with sinful noises, and his kiss warming him all over even though it was at the mouth alone. How violently he had come under him, and how spontaneously he himself had released.

Kevin had forbidden his mind to replay those scenes in his head because it only brought him longing and misery. But now, he knew he was not going to last a few more minutes, so why not? Why not forget the pain, the misery, the desperation, the depression?

Kevin was free to dream, fantasise, sigh about Ben. To think without restriction till he took his last breath; to imagine the face loom over his, and shower him with kisses, to feel small hands run over his chiselled chest, to feel small hips press against his nether regions...

He repeated and repeated to himself how much he loved that idiot; where earlier, he had forced a mental abolition on using the words 'love' and 'Ben' together, but he had no holding back to do anymore. He smiled, feeling his mind inflate and swell in the feeling; he openly screamed in his mind that he loved Ben, and had willingly jumped into Death's Mouth for him.

Kevin suddenly remembered the Gypsy lady. And her words.

Was this suicide? Had he succumbed to death, like she had warned him about?

_No_, Kevin assured himself, _I_ _didn't actually suicide; I sacrificed my life for Ben. There's a difference._

And the Happy Ending? He didn't know. Maybe _this _was the happy ending; the elating feeling of satisfaction did actually feel good right now. Maybe this was how he had ended his depression, not by dying for misery, but by dying for love, and thereby dying happy.

Thats good. Yeah it is. He is happy.

Besides, he had had only two options. It was either to let Ben die and live with guilt for the rest of his useless life; or to die and let Ben live on.

Kevin smiled. The answer had been easy to choose.

Ben _needed_ to be alive; his survival was crucial. The Universe depended on it. The World depended on it. The human race depended on it. The Omnitrix depended on it. Ben had people who loved him; parents, grandparents, cousins, friends, mentors,...a loving boyfriend. Ben could not be allowed to die; too many hearts were at stake. Too many tears would be shed, too many people would curse Kevin for not trying to save him. He himself would condemn himself to a life of self-torture. Ben can't die; he was too precious, too loved, too wanted.

And Kevin? Who the fuck cared shit about him? He had no parents, no family, no friends, well, only a few, but they would understand and get over it. And enemies, yes, he had _tons_ of those. They would either be partying that he was dead, or be grumbling that they couldn't partake in his cause of death. Otherwise, who was going to shed tears for him? Who, Ben? Sure, whatever. That would go for how long, a few days? Hours?

Kevin shrugged, and winced, feeling an ache sear inside of him. He was never going to see Ben again.

Ok, that hurt.

He was going to miss those toxic green eyes, the several shades they turned in different situations. He hadn't quite realised it until now; he had been paying unintentional attention to the brunette even before that one fated night. Guess he had the love in him all the long while, but, as the Gypsy said, he had masked it under friendship and heterosexuality.

Yeah, fuck the hetero-crap. He was dying at the moment, who cared?

Kevin winced again, hunching forward, gripping himself around the stomach with his right hand. This time, it was not emotional pain; he could feel his internal organs reacting to the toxicity he breathed; he was bleeding internally and, that too, heavily. He sat back again, panting slowly being out of breath, feeling the burning sensation creep up his body.

It was happening; the digestive enzymes and acidic gases around him were getting to work.

He gulped sourly.

Ben, yeah, he was going to miss that ass. No pun intended. Or maybe it _was_ intended, his ass was too cute. Kevin suddenly remembered more into his past; the small brunette had _always_ been cute, such as when he had shook hands with him five years ago. And the same brunette was _still_ cute, when had welcomed him into his team with a smile, five years later.

Ok, he was definitely going to miss Ben. But it was worth it, it was not an act in vain for Kevin. Nobody needed a waste-of-space like him. He had saved Ben, who was wanted and precious.

He had become a hero to a hero.

Climbing the ropes to death, Kevin sighed. His arms hurt, his joints ached, he felt sick, he felt old, he felt decayed. Even breathing was starting to hurt now; as he drew in poisonous gases, and let out poorly filtrated air, killing his lungs ever so slowly. His hair was completely damp in sweat and slime from the wall. His clothes stuck to his body with sweat, slime, and now, as he smelt it, _blood_.

His own blood.

"F-fuck..." he grumbled, feeling along his 'dead' left shoulder to see that some splats of acid had dropped from the 'ceiling' and brunt a wound on his already destroyed shoulder. He shifted a little away, so that the dripping was no longer on him. Maybe he was already in such a large amount of pain that he hadn't even felt the acid drill holes on his shoulder. Or maybe the poison had killed his pain-receptors.

Oh no, no, he _could _still _feel_ pain. Like thousands of tiny piranhas were nibbling on his legs, arms, face, neck; his skin was burning and bleeding. Aching, hurting, inside out.

Regrets. Now, the regrets seeped sadistically into Kevin's dying mind. He hated it, but that did not stop those regrets from lavishing themselves into his head.

Firstly, he hated the fact that he had not realised his feelings for Ben sooner. Since Ben was already gay, it would have made things easier. But that bloke, Kanou-a; he beat him to it. If only Kevin had known earlier, Ben would have been with HIM, Kevin, with them happily being a couple. He wouldn't even be in this mess right now.

But there's no point in blaming anything. What happens, happens for a reason. Maybe the late-factor of his feelings made his feelings deeper. Introduction of Kanou-a into his life was what made him realise could be out there as true competition. He learnt to fight fate and depression. He grew a little more as a human with feelings, he could know more about the torturous quality of the human mind.

Kevin shrugged again, feeling more pain in his broken left shoulder.

Maybe he should have taken Ben into his room, and forced himself on him when he had the chance. But Kevin shook his head dismissing the thought as quickly as it came into his dying mind.

No, forcing himself on Ben would give him temporary physical relief, but it would also make Ben mad at him, Ben would be betrayed, hurt and sad; and even though Kevin was the rough-n-tough kind of person who gives naught about other's feelings, he could never stand the sight of Ben crying, especially if he were the reason for it in the first place.

No, forcing himself on Ben would be a big sin, to Ben, to himself. Besides, if Ben didn't want Kevin, then he was not going to beg for him either. That was his pride talking.

But, yes, it was dampening to think he would never experience the pleasures that the lithe body could give him. Oh, Kevin was not going to die a virgin; he had a few ... 'incidents' in his youths and several 'time-pass fucks' as well, but they were all just for bodily satiation, none of them moved his mind or his heart. If he would have ever done _it_ with Ben, he was sure it would have swept him into the emotional and spiritual level too. He just knew it would. Sex with Ben, now _that_ was paradise.

But there was no use of thinking that now, right?

Kevin coughed, holding at his ribs as he adjusting himself on the lump of flesh he sat on. His eyes were clouding up, and it hurt to blink. He felt something drip down his face.

"Tears? But I'm not actually feeling like crying..." he mumbled, as he touched his finger to the trail of wetness along the sides of his face, originating from the corners of his eyes. He looked down at his finger and saw red blotches.

"Ok, so now I'm bleeding by the eyes," he sighed, "...so Death's round the corner then."

Groaning, he sat back again, panting openly now, as if he had been running; the pain was getting violent, it hurt really bad now. It was getting worse. He was hating every second of it. It was burning him, eating him, setting his skin on fire. And his inner organs were melting in the acid he breathed from the air.

His eyes travelled down and gazed at the gurgling pool of dangerous acids. Maybe he should just throw himself in the acid-pool; that would kill him quicker than this slow pain eating him. But his mind snapped sharply, _Are you a fucking coward?! Can't take a bit of hurt, eh? What happened to the 'die with a good face?' huh?_

"Okay, okay, I'm not a cowa-_ouch_..." Kevin groaned, wincing. He suddenly jerked forward and sat up. He coughed violently a few times, his mouth spat blood into his lap.

Sitting back against the wall, he licked his lips and sighed.

Slowly, slowly dying.

But with Ben in his mind and his heart, it wasn't so bad.

_Wait a minute..._

Was it just him or was the Cublor's cavernous stomach ... _moving?!_

He looked around and felt the flesh under him shake. Maybe he was imagining it? No, it really _was_ shaking, as if the Cublor was moving. Was it moving? Was it crawling somewhere? Was Ben safe? Of course he was. He must have stopped the bomb, and saved Kanou-a's family.

The Cublor moved again, Kevin's bleeding eyes widened when he saw the wall across from him (on the other side of the acid-pool), raise off the acid-pool.

"Huh?" he looked up; the Cublor's stomach was...rolling?

'THUMP!'

Kevin caught the slimy fleshy walls behind him for support as the stomach shook more, and the acid sloshed violently; the stomach was flipping on its side, the lump that Kevin sat on was dipping into the acid and the wall across from him was rising up.

"Ok, either the Cublor's going rolly-polly, or its falling on its side..." but he could not make any better or defined assumptions because his head hurt to even think. Kevin scrambled backwards, avoiding the greenish yellow acid that threatened to lick his feet as the level raised.

The stomach then stopped moving. The acid-pool remained in its new place, continuing to gurgle calmly and demeaning, as if to say 'I'm waiting for you to die just so I can eat you up'.

Kevin noticed something. The bellows had stopped. The calm and quiet was nice, but his ears were now ringing with the pounding of his loud, mad heart. He wondered why the creature stopped roaring. Maybe Ben had killed it? He hoped so. And stopped the bomb... and saved ... the...

Kevin blinked. Thinking hurt. Blinking hurt. Breathing hurt, too. Even his heart tugged wearily in his chest as if to say, _'ok, I'm thats it, I'm done, g-night.'_

Smirking, Kevin licked off some more rusty blood from the corner of his lips.

This was it. His last few moments.

_I'll see you in the Afterlife, Tennyson; I'll wait for you in a couple of twenty, thirty years... just watch out for me, I'll be the one screwing the devils in Hell. When you die, I'll be waving to you from amidst the devils, as you are enrolled into Heaven for being a hero all your life. Just gimme you ID number or something, or if the Hell-dwellers and Heaven-angels are not allowed to communicate, then we can write messages in paper planes and throw it at each other and stay in touch, yeah? _

Kevin laughed. Yes, actually laughed. Ok, he coughed blood as a result, but he still laughed. He couldn't believe he was already seeing visions of afterlife, even before he had died.

Blinking in confusion after he finished laughing, he decided that he was losing it.

He was far too poisoned anyway. His body was already on a 70% shutdown.

He didn't even notice a figure climb into the opening of the stomach where the Oesophagus met it. The figure slowly floated over the acid-pool approaching Kevin. The figure was protected from the gases and the acid by a sphere of indigo manna that encased him like a ball. It was glowing iridescent blue, and yet, Kevin didn't see him.

Until...

"Oh great," Kevin groaned, his eyes staring weakly ahead of him at a face that glowed and looked at him curiously, "I'm seeing things. I'm definitely dead... what the fuck, man; you won't leave me alone _even_ on my death-bed?! _Fuck_ _off_ from my mind; I wanna see _Ben_, not _you_..."

The figure sighed.

"Or maybe you're just me,... in a mirror... was I wearing a hoodie...? ... Did I have blue eyes?...Damn, can't remember... where'd a mirror come from in here anyway...?"

"I'm no mirage or mirror reflection, Friend Kevin. It's me, Kanou-a."

"Huh? So now you can talk back, too? Greaaat... its virtual and its talkinna me..."

"No, Friend Kevin; I am _real_," Kanou-a sighed. He floated a few inches above the acid-pool, and faced Kevin, staring at him closely. The humanoid's face radiated in sincere concern and worry.

Kevin groaned and swallowed a lump of sour saliva and rustic blood as he gripped at his stomach, heaving forward in a groan, and then fell back, laying his head back on the wall. He blinked and peered at Kanou-a with weak eyes, as if he had been woken from a sleep and it hurt to look at light in the morning.

"Yuh got legs." Kevin observed flatly.

"I know. I did a transformation spell with my friends' help."

A silent pause of one second, as they stared at each other.

"Whatd'ya want?" Kevin hissed darkly.

Kanou-a blinked in surprise, "What do you mean? I have come to take you out of this creature's stomach."

"Pfft, yeah right," he scoffed, "Tell me the real reason, fishy."

"I have come to take you out of this creature's stomach," Kanou-a repeated innocently.

Kevin stared at him angrily, and Kanou-a stared back in concern.

"Don't gimme that look, you sonnnafabitch!" Kevin growled angrily, "Why the_ fuck_ did yuh take the troubal of getting down here?"

Kanou-a, although unoffended by Kevin's temper, could not help feel pity for the dying human. He softly spoke as he put out his hands, "I have, as I said, come to save you and -"

"I'm askin' WHY!"

"Uh?" Kanou-a raised an eyebrow.

"Why'dyyuh wanna save me?!" Kevin slurred angrily. His eyebrows furrowed, and a trickle of blood trailed down the corner of his lips. Kanou-a's eyes followed the streak of red in fear, as he panicked, "We must take you out of this horrible place, Friend Kevin; you are not in a -"

"SHUDDUP! AN' ANSWER MEH!"

Kanou-a gasped, recoiling a little, wondering how was it logically possible to 'shut up' and 'answer' at the same time. He bit his lip, fearing every second he delayed in getting Kevin out of the acidic atmosphere. "I-...I ... you are my _friend_, Friend Kevin, it is what friends do, isn't it?"

"Pppfffsssh, shuddup! Donh gimme that crap!" he hissed angrily, eyes mere slits of dull mahogany, "Itz what friends do, yeauh; but _weeee_ are NOT friends!"

"Yes, we are," Kanou-a licked his lips nervously, putting his hands out again, trying to reason with the angry and stubborn raven, "Please, you must let me remove you from here; you are dying and ... oh, you are bleeding ever so much! Let me heal you a little, then I'll-"

"NO! DONN TOUCH MEEE!" Kevin snarled, drawing back, curling both his hands around his painful abdomen, and fixing Kanou-a with piercing brown eyes, "DONN YOUUUU DAAYYYR!"

Kanou-a withdrew his hands and sighed. He was feeling extremely frustrated at the uncooperative Kevin.

"What the hell, maan," Kevin groaned, "Whaaaay'dyuh, I mean, why... uh... _ow_..._God_, that _hurtzz_..." he shifted, fell forward, coughed a little blood, sat back, and panted again, "Jus' go back, man."

"What?!" Kanou-a's eyes widened greatly. In the darkness, they shone like two blue headlights. It creeped Kevin out a little.

"Yuh heard me; leave. Lemme be. Lemme die in peace, man. I juzz wanna dream uf Ben... see 'im in muh head... and die in peace. Lemme be. Jus' get outta my face."

Kanou-a felt his heart ache and thud sadly against his ribs. Even as he was dying, Kevin thought only of Ben. It made Kanou-a guilty that he was the reason that kept Ben away from this young teenager, but it couldn't be helped; Fate was indeed cruel.

"Friend Kevin," Kanou-a whispered as softly and as kindly as he could, "I cannot let you die..."

"WHUUY NAAWT?!" the mirror-image growled, "If anythin', you shuh be happy that I'm gonna die!"

"What?!" Kanou-a recoiled again. This teenager was going to him miniature heart attacks.

"Yuh wan' MEE ta explain?!" Kevin snapped, licking off the blood from his lips, "I am a potentiallll _threaaat_ to yuh relationship wi' Ben. What if I dresssup as yuh, and smex 'im one day, eh? Or what if he misstayykes me foh yooooou? And yuh think I can go on keepin my fantasiies offa him?! Ain't it bettah that I'm dead, and have yuh worries of me rapin' him removed, eh?"

Kanou-a winced, feeling terrified, "What _ever_ are you speaking of?! How can I ever be..." he stopped speaking and sighed dejectedly, pressing a few fingers to his own forehead. He then looked back at the raven, "No, you are no potential threat to my relationship with Kirby! You are Kirby's _friend_, and therefore, _my_ friend as well. I would _never_, _even_ in my sleep, _ever_ wish for you to die!"

"Oh juss shuddup, yuh good-boy charm aint gonna work on meee,... evah!" Kevin waved a bleeding hand around to dismiss Kanou-a's 'good-boy charm'. He then let his hand fall to his stomach, "Forget it, I'm done with talkinnna youuu; my body hurts, so juzz leave beforrr I _smack_ you _right_ outta this fuckin' shithole...!"

That was an empty threat, given Kevin was too weak to even stand up.

Kanou-a sighed and ran a hand through his silky hair.

To see Kevin like this, it was terrible. The strong-minded sarcastic teen was now a mumbling mess of bleeding, dying human body. Even as Kanou-a watched, Kevin was wincing and hissing, more trails of blood overflowed the either corners of the thin lips to form steaks connecting his jaws and his mouth in red lines. Kevin looked like a puppet, although not to Kanou-a since he didn't know what a puppet was.

Kanou-a swallowed the lump in his throat, he put out his hands, touching Kevin's arms and whispered, "Please, let me carry out of here; you are dying, you need help! And fast! Please! Friend Kevin, please!"

"NO! I'm purfectly alright with dyin'!" he hissed with a grimace, pushing away the merman's hands weakly but angrily, "_Nobuhdy_ needs me, and I don wan' _nobuhdy_ either! I saved Ben so tha' he can live on and be evryone's heroh. I'm juzzzaaah nobuhdy, I don' really have a reason to be saved! I'm not speshyaal or anythin'!"

"What do you mean, '_nobody wants you_'_?!_ Of _course_ you are wanted! Have you even _seen_ how _devastated_ Kirby was when you were assumed to be digested?! It was the pulse of extreme grief swimming off of Kirby that caught my attention to this room in the _first_ place! Friend Kevin, I don't know about other people in your life, but you mean a _lot_ to Kirby, and to Cousin Gwen and Friend Julie! But _especially_ Kirby! He wants you safe, Friend Kevin; he will be _very_ sad if you died. I will be, too!"

"Heh," Kevin scoffed darkly, "Ben, cryin' ovah me. Yeah, right. Bullshit." Kevin coughed a little. He swiped at the blood leaking off his left eye irritably, "Well, aftuh I die, if he missus me; tellim to look at _youuu_. Yuh can wear contact lensus to make the resembleeennzzz bettah! Once he gets a good look at yuh, he'll stop missun me."

Kanou felt hurt. Very hurt, for Kevin's sake; whose words were full of sadness, although spoken in nonchalance and bland unfeeling.

"Friend Kevin, I can't _ever_ replace _you_! Even though I am Kirby's lover, I can _never_ be a _Kevin_ to him, _never!_"

"Then _whatever!_ Go _fuck_ yuh self! I don' care! Juzz leave me _'lowwwn_!"... he hissed, and shuddered as more blood spilt out of him. Kanou-a panicked, for he could feel the aura of life in Kevin pulsing in alarm. It was dull and dying, pounding softly around Kevin, weak but not giving up. Kanou-a blinked and sighed.

"Don't be so stubborn, Friend Kevin! This is suicide!"

"Don teach _me_ abou' suiiizzzaaaid! Juss fuck off!"

"Friend kevin - "

"GO AWAAAAYYUUUH!" Kevin whined angrily.

He then sat up stiffly, reached out one hand and grabbed Kanou-a's collars, and tugged the confused merman closer. Kevin stared right into the wide blue orbs with glazed weak brown ones of his own; cheekbones stained in blood, and burns stretching as he grinned, "Juzz go; I'll let yuh easy off the hook. Juzz tellim that when yuh foun' me, I wazz already dead. Thaht'll save yuh from reasoning. Yuh know yuh alwayyzzz wanned to get rid of meh; _admit_ it. I'm givin' yuh a chance to have Ben all foh yuhself, without any guys like me interruptin' yuh lovelife. So go; preten' that I wazz dead. Have a happehly evah aftuh with Ben. Fuck each otherzz eyes out. Go, leave, leamme 'lone!"

That speech just about did it.

Kanou-a's heart broke. He tugged himself away from Kevin's weak grip.

"SILENCE! STOP IT! Do not talk to me like that!" Kanou-a snapped angrily, eyes shining in a kaleidoscope of blues. It made Kevin stare up at him, the grin on his face gone. It hurt to grin, anyway.

"_How_ can you even _say_ such things, Friend Kevin?!," Kanou-a gasped sadly, his face displayed lot of hurt, as he gripped his own collars in feeling, "To think I would want to get _rid_ of you, to think I could _just_ _feign_ _innocence_ after letting a life _die_ in _front_ of my eyes even though I had the _opportunity_ and _ability_ to save it! Do all humans think so when in pain?! How terrible! Well, let me inform you, we mermen have been taught to _never_ let a life go away if we have the _power_, the _right_ and the _obligation_ to save them! I will NOT let you die!"

Kanou-a reached out and grabbed Kevin's upper-arms firmly but not too hard in case he would be hurt, "I shall save you by _forcibly_ and _physically_ removing you, if that is what it comes to!"

"URGH," Kevin groaned, "Nnhhh lemme go... lemme..." he struggled, moving his hands but Kanou-a held his arms firmly with a stoic face of determination, until Kevin moaned, "Uuunnhhh... I can't even... talk no more... _hurts... so bad... I'm gonna... I'm...feelin'... sleepy..._"

Kanou-a froze. "F-friend Kevin?"

Kanou-a gaped at the raven, whose eyes rolled around in the eye sockets. Kevin's head hung back, his hands hanging limp, fingers twitching as he moaned in pain. His muscular chest heaved softly, taking in every breath he could in order to feed his dying body. He mumbled and groaned, while Kanou-a stared at him with wide eyes.

"Oh dear...!"

No; this was _bad_. Kanou-a could hear the heart inside Kevin slow down alarmingly, only managing to beat _sparsely,_ in comparison to a normal heart. The aura of energy around Kevin was even worse; Kanou-a could read the aura, it was growing dangerously low and dull and grey, it was fading, slowly, like a candle flame that was down to its last wax base. Pulsing and pounding, soft and slow.

Kanou-a panicked, pulling the weak upper body closer, supporting him around the chest with his hands. Kevin's head was fallen back. Kanou-a looked into the bleeding upturned face, whose brown eyes stared up at him blankly, and lips barely moved as they managed a raspy whisper, "_G-give up, sucker... ungh_..._Ben_... _go_ _tuh_..._Ben_..."

Kanou-a gulped. This was terrible; Kevin was dying and completely refusing to comply to a healing. Kanou-a clenched his jaw; he could not face Ben if Kevin died, he himself would never get over the trauma of letting a friend die in his arms.

No.

Kevin was _not_ going to die. Not if the _Fourth Prince of the Ocean_ could help it.

Kanou-a looked at Kevin again, to see he was out cold, eyes closed, mouth open a little. Kanou-a stared at the raven's mouth and then was struck by a sudden thought. He remembered his brother Ke-inno's wise words, _The Core of our magic starts from our heart; when we summon it, its flows through our body like water through a stream. Sometimes, when we are in tight situations, the time taken for the magic to flow from our core to our hands may seem long. Then, we find other ways of summoning our magic, other outlets to bring it out from, namely the eyes and the mouth, that take lesser time to be reached than our hands..._

Kanou-a looked down at Kevin, feeling dreadful as more of the Osmosian's aura seeped away into nothingness. The human was now only a few moment's distance away from complete death.

Kanou-a sighed. _Friend Kevin will not be happy about this when he wakes up. But, oh well; as Kirby says, screw everything else!_

Kanou-a took a deep breath, feeling the energy and manna stir inside him. He summoned it to his lips, with his eyes closed. The next second he opened them, and they shone like blue-white-crystals. He moved his hands from around Kevin' chest; such that his left forearm ran along Kevin's spine, and left hand's palm now supported the back of limp raven's neck, and the other hand moved the head fallen to the side to face him.

With fingers firmly holding the left side of Kevin's face, fingers deep in damp black hair, Kanou-a kept his eyes glowing in power as he dipped his head, and sealed his open lips around Kevin's thin one's.

A form of magical resuscitation. It felt odd. But it was for help.

Kevin had no idea that he was technically _lip_-_locked_ with his 'rival'.

Kanou-a let his energy swell and inflate inside of him, feeling its warmth glow in concentration in his own mouth and flow into Kevin's. He did not mind that his tongue slipped from the effect of gravity and touched Kevin's; for Kanou-a's mind was pure, and he never exaggerated any thoughts. He was only saving Kevin, healing him into life, moments before he could have died.

As they 'kissed', strong bluish sparkles and wisps of winds spun softly around them, Kanou-a who towered the human held on, with his face dipped with long hair billowing softly around him, and fingers holding the other handsome face in place; while the bleeding broken body of Kevin's remained limp, hands hanging on either side, face upturned, short silken hair fluttering in the wisps of energy-winds twirling around him.

o.o.o

Gwen and Julie smacked down a Syntheton together.

The Powersuited raven saw something from the corner of her eyes, and so she turned. She found herself staring far away at the side of the fallen and 'dead' Cublor. Something was moving inside it.

"G-Gwen!" she squeaked, tugging at the arm of a hovering Anodite who was now busy kicking a Syntheton's octopus-face. When her job was complete, she descended to the ground and looked in the direction Julie pointed wildly.

Julie commanded Ship to remove himself, and the Galvan Mechamorph happily beeped as it shrunk and dropped into his Mistress's arms, who petted him calmly. Gwen stood beside Julie, together watching the moving side of the huge Cublor's girth. They turned and looked at each other. Immediately, they shouted.

"BEN! COME _OVER_ HERE!"

Goop slithered towards them in great speed, and finally, the grey Anti-Gravity Generator swept up, to pull the green glossy viscosity of its body into its defined form. The small slanted eyes blinked as Goop's voice dribbled from the Anti-Gravity Generator, "What's wrong, girls?"

The girls meekly pointed at the side of the Cublor's sides that was now visibly moving.

A few beeps and a flash of green later, Ben joined the two girls. The three stared at the flesh in worry and anxiety, keeping a good distance from it, just in case something unexpected and unfortunate decided to surprise them.

Something happened that _did_ surprise them.

Unexpected? Yes. Unfortunate? No.

A small dot of light shone on the wall of skin. It made the three raise an eyebrow. Then, the dot of light grew large in diameter, being brighter while it was at it.

Ben, Gwen and Julie held their breaths; Gwen latched to Ben's left hand, Julie to his right. They watched with frantic suspenseful faces.

The large dot of light started to burn the skin, like sunlight concentrated by a magnifying glass. A small swirl of smoke curled into the air from the burn which also grew in diameter. A small spindle of blue appeared, and tore through the skin and poked out where the circle's centre would be. The spindle grew as well, becoming fatter and started to split into several tendrils, tearing the hole it had created apart. The tendrils curled outwards and opened a huge gap in the flesh, that bled profusely.

"Oh, look, Ben, look!" Gwen and Julie gasped together. Ben's heart nearly stopped.

When the circle was torn into a hole big enough, a big dome of bluish manna appeared out of the hole. The dome encased safely two persons. Once the two figures had stepped out, the dome blinked and disappeared to reveal the inmates.

Ben's jaw fell.

Kanou-a supported Kevin; with the Osmosian's right hand over Kanou-a's shoulder, and Kanou-a's left hand around Kevin's waist. Kevin was hanging a little, looking a little weak, so Kanou-a was very careful as he held Kevin's waist and held the Osmosian's hand over his shoulder in place. Their clothes were clean. Kevin was no longer soaked in blood, slime and saliva, because Kanou-a had cleansed him; but the holes, burns and patches in his clothes were still present, since Kanou-a didn't wish to waste time to fix those.

Slowly, they walked a little more, before looking up, _together_. Like differently-dressed mirror images.

"GGGGGAAAAAHHHHH! YOU'RE OKAY!" came Ben's shout of joy as he threw his hands up in shock.

The girls let out sighs of relief, holding at their hearts. Ben was more violent, though. He immediately tore into a sprint for the ravens.

Kevin, (although looking a little pissed for 'some' reason) only wanted to remove himself from the supporting merman and sidestep away, so that Ben could run at the merman, hug him, and fuss over him and his bravery. But Kanou-a maintained that weirdly powerful hold, gentle but unbreakable, reminding Kevin of that strength he had when he had caught his wrist from the Prisoner's Room.

Great. So now he was going to have to be a third-wheel as Ben fusses over Fish-hips.

But to Kevin's surprise, Ben ran at THEM, not just at Kanou-a. Ben jumped into the middle, where the ravens' shoulders met, and the brunette slung a slim arm around each raven's identical strong neck and buried his small face in between their necks as he hugged them tightly.

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE OKAY! YOU'RE OKAY! I WAS SO WORRIED!" he squealed, hugging them tighter, with each raven's cheek pressed to his own either cheeks.

Kevin had his lips parted in awe, feeling warm around the face that Ben was actually worried about him. And was, in a way, hugging him. His face softened as he felt a smile form in his lips. Kevin relaxed into his side of the embrace, and slowly let his chin sink into the soft muscles of Ben's right shoulder. He was feeling happy. It was nice to deeply breathe-in the scent of Ben's sweet-smelling hair and smoothie-smelling skin. Kevin's shining half-lidded chocolate eyes moved sideways and caught a pair of identical but blue eyes gazing at him, the handsome face resting similarly on Ben's other shoulder.

The blue eyes shone childishly as if to say, _'I told you so! You mean so much to him! See how happy he is to see you safe!'_

Kevin looked away, feeling embarrassed. So he frowned and pushed out his lower lip, otherwise enjoying the hug. Kanou-a enjoyed his side of Ben's hug too.

"Careful now, love," Kanou-a whispered happily, "Don't strangled poor Friend Kevin; he _is_ fully healed of broken bones and destroyed muscles, but he is still stiff and a little sore from the detoxification from poison!"

Ben pulled back, biting his lip to keep himself from howling and crying in relief. He let himself sigh, "Oh, sorry, but I'm so glad, you guys! Man, I was feeling _sick_, thinking horrible stuff! Phew!" His emerald eyes shone _so_ brightly at the Osmosian that Kevin blushed helplessly. Behind Ben, the girls tottered up to them, smiles on their faces.

"We were so worried; thank God nothing turned out wrong! You okay, Kevin?!" Gwen asked in concern. Julie looked on hopefully.

Kevin nodded and raised a left thumb, "Yup," he turned to the close twin-like face grinning at him joyously like a kid, and spoke bluntly, "You can _let_ _go_ now, dude."

Kanou-a nodded; slowly and cautiously he unwound his arm from around Kevin's waist, and lifted off the arm around his shoulder. Kevin looked down at himself, feeling a little stiff, yes, but he felt better as he took a few clean breaths and let out the warm air. Once completely on his own feet, he stretched his hands carefully upwards, and cracked a few newly-repaired bones into place. He rolled each shoulder, one-by-one, and they were okay too. He kicked out a foot, taking turns, to see he was alright. He cracked his knuckles, and finally dug his hands into his pockets.

He gave the staring lot a smirk. "Kevin's back, baby."

Four faces lit up with grins. The girls immediately jumped to him, and showered him with hugs of appreciation for saving Ben, which he returned.

When the girls were done, Ben jumped in again, hugging Kevin alone this time. Kevin bravely fought the urge to bone-crush Ben in a passionate embrace, so he only patted Ben's head as the brunette moaned into his shoulder, "I dunno how to thank you, Kevin! You literally jumped into Death's mouth for me!" he pulled back and frowned at him with a cute pout, "I am so _mad_ at you!" then he suddenly smiled, "But I'm more relieved you're alive than be angry and mad at you!" and to Kevin's shock, Ben kissed him on the cheek sweetly. Kevin bit his lip, lowering his head to hide the burns on his cheek as Ben hugged him once more. He tried to ignore the giggles of the girls or the proud smile of the merman-turned-human.

Once he pulled back finally, Ben looked down at Kevin and asked, "What're those holes in your clothes, Kevin?"

Kevin looked down at himself, and then shrugged, "Eh, acid ate it away. It burnt _me_ too. But your boyfriend's got pretty neat skills." He directed thumb at Kanou-a who smiled widely. Ben then ran to Kanou-a and hugged him, "Thank you! You saved Kevin!"

"It was quite more the feat than it looks, Kirby... -" hugging him back, Kanou-a smiled and glanced at Kevin, "-... he was extremely...stubborn."

"Huh?" Ben asked, releasing the hug and tilting his head in confusion, "Stubborn?"

Kevin frowned dangerously at Kanou-a, who blinked and turned to Ben with a nervous smile, "Aah...never mind. But I managed to save him in the nick of time, Kirby! I nearly collapsed in fear when I had doubts I wouldn't manage to revive him, since it was the first time I had healed someone that way."

"_What_ way?"

Kanou-a stated innocently, "I had to put my m-"

Kevin interrupted him hurriedly, waving his hand, "The same ol' same ol'; hand-over-the-heart thing; he just sorta blessed me - thats all – now everyone lets go - we have a bomb to stop!"

The four faces stared at him. Immediately Ben, Gwen and Julie were distracted and nodded in excitement.

"I'm gonna get more capsules; c'mon Gwen! Julie!" Ben ushered them, and the girls ran to him and joined him to pickup energy capsules from the dead mutants.

Kevin stomped angrily to the oblivious twin, and hissed right into his surprised face that was only an inch away from his, "You tell _anybody_ that we...that we... that we had mouth-on-mouth kissing action; and I will _personally_ KILL you."

Kanou-a blinked innocently at him, "Alright. But it wasn't _actually_ a kiss; to be precise, it was a resus-"

"_Whatavah!_" Kevin snapped, stepping back and folding his hands across his chest, fuming and trying to cool the irritable heat of embarrassment warming his face when he remembered coming back to life only to find his mouth latched to Kanou-a's. It had nearly given him a heart attack and killed him a second time around.

"And..." Kanou-a chuckled innocently again, "...I am no one to judge, and it maybe because of the similarity of our anatomy, but our lips _did_ fit quite perfectly."

"Oh shut UP!" Kevin huffed, his face going red as he spun on his heels and walked away stiffly, kicking aside vehemently any mutant parts that happened to have the misfortune of being in his path.

Kanou-a chuckled again.

- End of Chapter -

* * *

**_(putting on invinscible titanium armour) okay, anybody who wants to kill me for the Kevou-a moment...HA! I HAVE ARMOUR! (Kevin fight stance)_**

**_Okay guys; honestly, hehehehe, I had SO much fun typing this out! This has got to be my fav chapter! Whn I wrote about 'the' kissu scene, I sat back to squeal for ten seconds before going back to typing fufufu! Heehehe! I hope I didn't kill you Reyna Gold, I remember how you told me that Kevou-a spooked you out, and at that time I was like, "Damn, I had a kissu-scene planned out, how'd she knw tht?!" and now, its here for you to criticise!_**

**_Please be good on me; im just a diehard Kevin fan. Its just so cute if Kevin-twins kiss! Aw! X3_**

**_And man, did someone die during the angsty Kevin bits?! Seriously, it was kinda scary now tht I go back to it! :D I hope I didn't kill anyone! -_-' besides, I had a tough time typing out Kevin's slur talking; man the Microsoft Word was going crazy with red squiggles everywhere as if it was going 'Alert! Alert! Mistakes everywhere!' and im like 'no you dope, thts Kevin talking in his final moments! Hes not Mark Anthony to sound proper! on his deathbed!'_**

**_And, by the way, I think Echo-Echo IS fucking adorable! One trait they COMPLETELY forgot in Omniverse series! Echo-Echo in Omniverse looks old, and saggy and fat; terrible! Echo-Echo in Alien Force is shooooow cyuuuuut! :D Ultimate form too, where he looks like cool. But the Echo-Echo is sooo cuuteee! Uwaaaa!_**

**_And hope everybody liked human Kanou-a! Wahooo! I have so much love for his human form, I can so imagine him in his indigo hoodie with his friendly smile and long hair... *faints*_**

**_*someone splashed water on my face* _**

**_okay! Review pls people! Mwah!_**

**_~bxkfreaky peace out!~_**


	20. I have had ENOUGH

**chaptuh twentaay!**

**O_O Ok...u guys are kidding me rite?! :D a thr-th- a threesome?! OMG! Oh wow! I just cracked up so bad, im still in tears! Oh my goodness ! I cant believe I got two requests for a threesome with Ben, Kevin and Kanou-a! Seriously wow! I ... but I dunno how to write those, (help!) im a newbie in the porn stuff, I barely managed a few sex scenes in my stories, and now a threesome?! Like...wow! oh my goodness! Im flattered by your requests, marychannel and arlenefarell! :D thnk you guys.**

**Say, how about someone write a thressome FOR me? I seriously have no clue whom to put in the front, back and centre. Kanou-a has to be in one end cause, technically he has no butt. Yeah, I made it that the um digestive tract of merpeople destroys the waste by the energy core they have. So yeah, no need of butts. :) I shud **_**never**_** be a doctor -_- I wont either,coz I hate med stuff, but no offense to those who love tho! :D doctors rock too! Anyway, coming to point; yeah. So if there was a threesome, Kanou-a should be doing the fucking and no one gets to fuck him. And no one can fuck Kevin either. thts my rule. No one. hes the alpha-male, so Kevin fucks, never GETS fucked. Hell no. Nuh uh. So, wht now?! I mean, we have two unfuckable semes who want to get dirty with Ben who has only one orifice, not to mention hes too small to take them both at the same time (ouchie! ) however... if Kanou-a was in his human form... hmmm. Thn Kanou-a can take Kevin up his ass (admit it, Kanou-a is a like uke-ish isn't he? :D) and kanou-a can penetrate Ben at the same time, yeah?**

**Ok... above passage makes this a _weird_ authors note. Hmm.**

**Thnk you guys, I thot u guys wud wanna kill me for the kevou-a moment, but hahah it brought me two threesome request bwahahaha! U guys are the best seriously! Youre spoiling me, damn! :D love you all!**

**Just for the record, I was not in a good minset as I wrote this chapter, I have a few heavily emotional issues to deal with, so this chapter _may_ not be as awesome as I usually do, so pls do bear with me, again, I love you all! :)**

**Warning: yaoi/ boys love/ slashing/ gorey stuff/ language / stuff.**

**Disclaimer: I tried to own Ben ten alien force, but Man of Action set Rath after me T_T**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**Chapter twenty : I have had ENOUGH**

Sudden claps thundered in the air.

The five humans turned to look up and saw Vermenos and C-Mexx in their hovercrafts, and it was Veremnos who was clapping his hands as if in sarcastic admiration. The looks on their victorious faces made Ben's stomach churn in dread. He knew something had swung in their favour and turned sour for the teens.

The Synthetons around them fell silent and unmoving, as if on command. Probably from one of C-Mexx's remote-controls.

"Marvellous," the silver-haired alien shook his head as he leaned fashionably on the railing of his hovercraft, "_What_ a display of bravery, and human affection!" his face then changed to supreme disgust, "Makes me _sick_ to my stomach, if I say so mildly!"

C-Mexx shook his head too.

The Commander continued with a blatant and irritated tone, "JUST when I get rid of _one_ pest, _another_ sweeps in, and brings him out. _And_ costs me one Cublor, as well. How wondrous."

The five faces only stared back with identical expressions of hatred and anger.

Kevin, however, noticed something that made him nervous on the inside; the aliens weren't eager on typing anymore. What did _that_ mean?

"Guys," Kevin spoke low and dark, directing his words to his friends with his eyes on the two aliens above, "The bomb's been launched!"

A deafening moment of silence.

The four faces looking at Kevin went pale as their frowns dropped to be replaced by concerned confusion.

"WHAT?!" Ben gaped, eyes zipping wildly from Kevin to Kanou-a to Kevin again. The girls gasped in shock of the revelation. Kanou-a was silent.

The bomb was launched.

Over. It was finally over. They have failed to let the bomb be stopped sent to the Ocean. The merpeople's kingdom was in utter danger.

Veremnos was the one to break the silence as he crackled in laughter, "Spontaneous as always, aren't you, Kevin Levin?!" then he maintained his look of cold victory as he grinned down at the figures that looked like little dolls from his point of view, "Surely yes, Ben Tennyson. The Mutation Bomb has been launched and is now currently activating itself! _All_ that the lot of you had worked so painfully for has turned out very pointless, hasn't it?"

"Not _yet_," Kevin answered, making the rest of the four look at him in surprise. What more was there _now_? The bomb was dispatched and it was going to mutate. What could they do now?

Veremnos paused. C-Mexx bit his lip. Evidently, Kevin Levin knew a lot more than they had thought he would.

"I may have learnt Astrophysics from the streets; but I learnt some of my Level Five Mechanics from Space," Kevin smirked, "And I happenna know that the Mutation Bomb requires an initially constant and vigilant data-flow from its launch-workstation. Meaning -," he smacked his fist into his open hand, " - destroy computer; destroy bomb."

Veremnos and C-Mexx recoiled.

Ben and Kanou-a crouched from their positions into a fight stance. They had understood that, now, there was a chance of winning this. All was not really lost.

"Perfect!" Ben called out, switching on his Omnitrix, "Power-up, guys!" and behind him, a power-suited Julie, and Anodite Gwen took on their fight-stances too. Kanou-a's hands were already sparking angrily in bluish manna, while Kevin was glistening in the light, in a coat of Titanium again; both twins looked determined.

Veremnos growled under his breath. He had either bitten of more than he can chew, or tried to eat a walnut raw. The angry Commander turned to C-Mexx and hissed, "Hand me the Enhancer!" at which, the red-haired alien nodded and pulled out a small disk-shaped gadget. Veremnos snatched the device from his counterpart and tweaked its knobs quickly. "Re-activate Synthetons, C-Mexx!"

C-Mexx let the frozen Synthetons shrug themselves back to life. The zombie-metal-monsters went back to grumbling and surrounding the teens and the merman. Then, Veremnos put his slim finger on a slide-switch of the Enhancer and slid it up. Immediately in synch, the energy capsules on the live Synthetons buzzed and sparked. It caught the attention of the teens and made them look around in surprised alarm.

"What the..." Ben whispered, "What's happening?"

The blue diluted manna in the capsules of the mutants started to bubble and turn dark blue. Immediately, it seemed the mutants were looking less 'lazy' and more 'pepped-up'. The remaining Cublor Larva swayed hits head like an angry elephant on a sugar-rush.

Ben and his friends looked anxious. "It's like they had a coffee-break!", said the young baffled leader, blinking his green eyes rapidly as if this was some sort of a joke played on his retina. Unfortunately it was not.

"The capsules of energy are being charged up, Tennyson!" Kevin spoke.

"That's cant be good," Ben sighed.

"Its aint," came Kevin's answer.

Then, Veremnos called out like a tyrant summons his minions, with his hands stretched out, "SYNTHETONS, ATTACK!"

An onslaught of upgraded mutants plummeted on the five, like iron fillings attracted to a magnet. A flash of green tore through the air, and with a roar of announcement of his name, Humungasaur threw some of the attacking mutants away into the air. Julie and Kevin ran to the left. Gwen and Kanou-a to the right. Humungasaur stood on the spot, knocking down the Synthetons who had visibly amplified in their strengths and skill.

From up above, Veremnos watched with flashing ivory eyes. C-Mexx spotted the Commander sliding up the switch on the Enhancer even more.

"Damn, they're getting harder...to...beat...!" Kevin hissed as he wrestled an arm-lock with a blue Syntheton who seemed hell-bent on crushing him. Kevin grimaced as he pushed into the mutant, and kicked the mutant on the stomach. The grunt that followed gave Kevin the signal that he had hit a weak spot, and that one moment's time was all that the sly Osmosian needed to whack the Syntheton on the head with his Titanium-hammer-hand and knock the mutant out cold, altogether.

Power-suited Julie had managed to free her arm from a Syntheton and smack a mutant who tried to jump Gwen from her back. The Anodite slid up into the air with her manna-steps and barely stepped out of the reach of another mutant. "They're getting faster!"

Kanou-a looked over his shoulder, and saw that new mutants were stepping out from the contraption called 'computer' from the corner of the room. He kept that fact in mind, as he swept three mutants to the floor with a flush of sparkling water that he made to gush out his hand.

Veremnos and C-Mexx watched from their spots. The teenagers were definitely tiring out now.

o.o.o

The one remaining Cublor was now dead as well. Kevin and Kanou-a stood on its immobile head; victorious as they held its ripped-out circuit-box between themselves. Jumping off the creature's bulk, they joined the sweating trio who glanced at them in admiration.

The teens decided to change strategies. Seeing that their main goal was to destroy the computer and not waltz with mutants, it was decided that Ben and Kanou-a would try to shoot at the computer from their spots while Kevin, Gwen and Julie kept the Synthetons off the two.

Swampfire shot streaming balls of hot fire at the base of the computer, but Veremnos had erected a force-field all over it and himself; keeping him, his Left-Hand-in-Command and the computer unharmed. Kanou-a shot bolts of solidified water at the shield but no avail. It seemed that the shield itself was powered by diluted forms of Kanou-a's energy, thereby being self-immune to its own energy.

Swampfire turned to his right to see Kanou-a run a little away. The merman raised both hands and concentrated a swirl of greyish winds to form above his head. He made it grow until it was big enough to cause damage. He swung his hands forward and the mini-Tornado flew to the force-field protecting the aliens.

Veremnos and C-Mexx gasped as the field shook under the powerful attack but remained unhurt. They let out breaths of relief.

Kanou-a frowned.

Swampfire continued his torrent of fire, until; he saw Prince Kanou-a gesture to him. The Methanosian turned and saw Kanou-a put out a hand to him, several feet away, "My fire-breathing beloved, uh,...what was your name?"

"Swampfire," came the deep-voiced answer as he kept his hands direct beams of fire at the force-field.

"Ah yes, Swampfire! Toss me a few balls, will you?!"

"EH?!" Swampfire blinked feeling his face grow hot in embarrassment for momentarily misinterpreting his innocent lover's words. Swampfire then nodded, directing one hand at his lover, doubtfully. A zooming ball of fiery flames shot for Kanou-a who reached out and grabbed it as if it was just a squashball.

The teens, although in their respective fights, turned to watch Kanou-a handle the flamed ball.

Kanou-a, being newly matured, could materialise water and air by his own will, but he was not skilled enough to form fire on his own. To do so, he would require more elevation of power which he hadn't mastered yet. Which was why he needed Swampfire's help.

Kanou-a held the fireball levitating between in palms; its orange glow defining Kanou-a's face as he concentrated his energy into his hands and fixed his eyes on the force-field far away. He quickly pulled apart his hands, and immediately the fireball grew in alarming swiftness, till it was as big as the tornado he had thrown earlier.

"Woah," the teens gasped, as even from the distance, they could feel the warmth of the huge ball radiating off of it. Kanou-a held the fireball above his head, and with accurate aim (courtesy Julie's skills) he flung it in full force for the force-field.

Veremnos and C-Mexx went pale indigo as they watched the ball zoom to the base of their protection. They intended and hoped it would not break, but the field shook violently and actually went up in terrible flames!

"_No!_" Veremnos gasped, jumping back a little; while C-Mexx put out his hands and extinguished the flames with his own powers. The two, and the computer behind them, were now bare to the assault of the teens.

Seeing the barrier down successfully, the girls cheered, and Swampfire gave Kanou-a a thumbs-up. Kevin rolled his eyes although a smile tugged at his lips.

He _had_ to admit, the fishy-guy was pretty good at fighting, for a newbie.

With no shield protecting them, Veremnos panicked; he was not a fool to underestimate the ability of his enemies especially since he had witnessed it numerous times, but he believed that they _could_ be submerged with more brutal force. C-Mexx blinked in anxiety as Veremnos placed his fingers on the Enhancer, and slid up the switch of the device clutched in the indigo fingers.

"Commander, you had already enhanced the Synthetons, _twic_e_!__" _the red-haired alien reminded his master. He was rewarded by a reply, "More; I need to make my mutants _more_ powerful if I am to destroy the humans down there before they harm the launcher-workstation!"

"But Commander, there is a probability of overload and short-circuits in the mutant's bodies if they are overpowered and - "

"_Silence! I know what I am doing!"_ the silver-haired alien snapped at him, his ivory eyes flashing angry and maddened. C-Mexx saw that the tension and irritation had engulfed his Commander's rationality and decision-making. There was nothing that could change his master's whims when his temper was _this_ flared-up.

"I will _not_ have these humans hinder my way to unstoppable power and influence over the Universe! I am only _minutes_ away from the bomb creating a Cublor of it's own and filtering out a ton of energy-beings for me to last a _lifetime_ _and_ _more!_ I will _not_ have _anything_ stop my goal when I am _too_ close to victory!"

C-Mexx sighed and nodded, "As you wish, Commander."

Down below, Gwen screamed as a Syntheton strangled Power-suited Julie in a ceaseless head-lock. No matter how hard her pink manna tendrils tugged at the arm, the mutant wouldn't give. Gwen was so helpless that she had to squeal for Kevin to run in and help her. Together, they managed to kill the Syntheton with a medley of manna blades and skilled Titanium sword-buckling. Once Gwen had her best friend in her embrace while panting together in relief and exhaustion, Kevin growled, "This is getting worse! They're getting stronger!"

Jetray swam though the air and zapped at two Sythetons simultaneously. They dodged it with unpredicted moves and returned him the favour with shotgun-bullets. Zipping narrowly, Jetray managed to make the Synthetons' firings fall on the bomb-computer instead.

Vermenos snarled from above.

"You fools!" he growled at the Synthetons, "Watch where you shoot!" but the mutants only were useful for destruction and fighting, they were not clever enough to think about caution. The idiotic mutants continued to fire at their enemy Jetray who, on the other hand, cleverly made sure every bullet missed him and hit the base of the computer instead. But it was still in vain, because although the first field had been broken, C-Mexx kept up a good force-field made of his own powers; thereby temporarily protecting the computer, himself and his master.

Kanou-a crossed his arms before his face as a few Synthetons aimed miniature cannons and large machine guns at him. Blades of water shaped like his fins formed along his either Ulna bones. The blades grew and formed a shield that absorbed all the cannonballs and bullet that shot for him. A moment later, Kanou-a whipped open his hands and single beam of white-blue energy caught all the Synthetons in surprise, obliterating them immediately into a mass of steaming molten flesh. What Kanou-a had done was simple; use the enemy's strength against them, here, in the literal sense.

He turned around to see that things were not going well for his comrades; Kevin, Julie, Gwen were pretty much struggling terribly as the enhanced Synthetons took on them in a massive surge. Goop was jumping from spot-to-spot, dodging bullets easily thanks to his flexible liquid body, but he was obviously tired for he was slower than he usually was. Kanou-a also noticed Gwen huff helplessly after her pink hand smacked a Syntheton on the shoulder and Judo-kicked him unconscious. Although Julie shot rounds-after-rounds from the wrist guns of her suit, even she was tiring too.

And the Synthetons just keep coming and coming.

Veremnos pushed up the switch of the Enhancer to its limit, sneering evilly down at the humans like a demented psycho-patient. "Perfect; do you see, C-Mexx? They are all wearing out their strengths. Soon, they may even fall unconscious, and maybe out initial goal of having them for energy sources may be achieved after all!"

"Isn't it unwise to risk letting them live, when the last time we did so, they had not only escaped but also managed to destroy most of our Metrons and one Cublor as well?"

"Oh, do shut up, C-Mexx!" Veremnos hissed crossly. But seeing the calm wisdom in his counterpart's words, he huffed, "Alright then, I shall terminate them after they all fall immobile... Or maybe, instead of waiting for them to fall unconscious, I might just capture them and kill them immediately! They have caused enough losses already, I don't want to give them any more time to do worse!"

"Yes, Commander."

"C-Mexx, I want you to go down there and make sure the Synthetons capture them!"

"Yes, Commander," so said, the red-haired alien tugged at a toggle-switch on his suit. A jetpack popped up and he shot out of his hovercraft; as he zoomed through the air, Veremnos watched him fly away. The silver-haired alien placed his elbows on the railings of his hovercraft and rested his chin on his laced fingers, feeling really elated now.

Everything was going in his favour once again. His anger disappeared, and was replaced by gleeful maliciousness.

Jetray found himself tackling a very agile C-Mexx in air. They spun and swivelled as they dodged each other's assaulting advances and delivered punches, each trying to overcome the other. On the floor, many Synthetons lay dead, but they were not even _half_ the number of the ones that were left standing and now surrounding the teens. Kanou-a was managing well; but his anxiety grew on many levels. About the bomb, about Ben, about his friends.

Kanou-a jumped in surprise when something landed in a thud right in front of him, at his feet. A moment's pause and he recognised the heap at his sneakers.

"Friend Kevin!"

The humanoid hurriedly bent double and helped up his twin-like friend with great concern, and the Osmosian raven growled under his breath, "Fucking dicks...damn, they punch like Cena!" and all poor Kanou-a could do was gaze at him, unable to understand the symbolism at all. Kevin turned to him and cast him a half-hearted shrug, "Thanks man. You okay?"

Kanou-a nodded.

"Aiiiiiieeeeeee!"

The sudden screech took their attention to their left, and they gaped at the sight of Ben dangling upside down, in his _human_ form, hanging by his foot that was held in C-Mexx grip who hovered in the air.

"Motherf-...put HIM DOWN!" Kevin growled. Kanou-a joined him as the twins sprinted to the laughing alien who flung Ben playfully into the air. Ben spun up in a somersault or two, just in time to smack his hand on the Omnitrix and scream, "Chrrroooooooowwwwwwmastowwww wwnnnnnuh!"

The Crystalsapein landed nimbly on his feet, twisting up his lithe body to zap ultraviolet beams angrily at C-Mexx who dodged them with the agility of a hawk.

"Nobody gets to toss me around like a doll!" huffed the single-eyed Chromastone angrily as he reared his hands for more shooting.

Bolts of blue water joined Chromastone's beams; Kanou-a shot at C-Mexx who continued to zip around in the air, keeping the three boys busy while-

"AAAHHH! BEN! KEVIN! KANOU-A! HELP!" came two girly squeals.

The three that were screamed for, spun on their heels and gasped at the sight:

Gwen was held captive from behind by a Syntheton who had gripped her arms up to keep her still. She looked helpless in the strong clutches.

Were those _nullifying_ _cuffs_ on _Gwen's_ wrists?!

Ship was beeping sadly in the unfriendly and deathly grip of another Syntheton, while Julie cowered and shook in the deadly headlock of another.

Kanou-a froze.

"Uh, oh; not _this_...!" Kevin grit his teeth as he turned to see that a huge wall of yellow Syntheton beef stood inches away from his nose. Before he could do anything, cold clasps grabbed both his wrists and he felt his Titanium coating dissolve off his arms. "The _fricking_ _HELL!"_ Kevin snarled as the Syntheton, chosen for its huge bulk to challenge Kevin's strength, grabbed each of his arms and twisted them behind his back.

Kanou-a turned to see Ben struggling in the grip of another Syntheton; his Omnitrix was on a time-out because the energy capsules had been peeled off it, leaving it with no recharge source anymore, like usual.

Kanou-a blinked; all his friends, trapped yet again. Like the last time.

A Syntheton grabbed his own shoulders from behind him, and the merman immediately felt cold metals on his wrists, belonging to the nullifying cuffs. His magic spell of transformation, however, did not recede for it was self-powered and did not require its wielder's assistance, until it reached its time-limit.

Kanou-a remained still, as if in a haze as his hands were twisted behind him, like his friends.

Crackling laughter made the shaken Prince turn to the hovercraft levitating high above the ground, the passenger on it stood akimbo with a malicious sneer on his handsome face, "Once again, merman! Once again! I WIN!"

Once again...he couldn't protect his friends. All this power. And yet...?

"Win...?" Kanou-a whispered to himself. His eyebrows moved, his eyes narrowed. He grit his teeth, his head lowered.

The Synthetons had all stopped moving and fighting, because after all, the 'pests' have been captured. C-Mexx floated in the air with his hands folded across his chest, and a smirk on his good-looking face. Veremnos was at his spot far away and above, smirking as well.

Kanou-a lowered his head more. His bangs fell over his face.

"Win...?"

Slowly, his fingers curled into fists that shook.

_...'Bzzztt BZbzzbzztztt'..._

Small sparks like little blue lighting cracked off of Kanou-a's hands as he stood there silent, head low, body straight, fists at either sides.

Ben, Kevin, Gwen and Julie remained in the grasps of the ruthless mutants, confused with Kanou-a's behaviour. They watched him intently. C-Mexx watched too. So did Veremnos, smirking again.

"Win?" Kanou-a repeated the word, his head snapping up.

The very sight drained the blood off of every spectator's face. Even the Synthetons felt the fear. Since Veremnos was being looked at, he was the most taken aback.

Kanou-a's eyes were white-blue; irises wide with the tiny pupils barely pinpricked, it was terrifying and beautiful at the same time. His face was _so_ cold, _so_ deadly, _so_ respectable, that he gave off a dominating aura that even the _humans_ could sense it in the air. His teeth were clenched tight in his tough jaws, his biceps flexed tight under the tight sleeves of his hoodie, his nostrils flaring in an amount of anger that he was restraining as if for the safety of everyone who watched. His fists shook harder as he spoke, fangs clearly visible, "_Win? Is that what this is for you all along? A game to win or lose?_" his calm icy-cold voice sliced painfully through the air like knives, chilling and steaming at the same time, laced over and over with pure hatred and ire.

"_Lives that you create of your free will, just to toy with, and use advantageously? A game? All to win or lose?_"

Sparks crackled harder, spitting white dots every now-and-then.

"_I have had enough of this_," Kanou-a hissed calmly, but his neck muscles were easily seen to be straining as he took each seething breath, his bones standing up at his clavicles, knuckles, and neck.

Kanou-a was panting now; slowly and carefully, restraining a great amount of anger, his fangs long in his open mouth, his nostrils sharp and his eyes dangerous. His hair started to float around him, and that was when they all noticed that wisps of wind was swirling around the humanoid and the clueless Syntheton gripping him captive.

Suddenly -

"AAARRGHHH!" Kanou-a let out a growl and threw back his head. A sudden flush of light surrounded him, and a pulsating blast emanated off the merman. The Syntheton holding him was thrown back in the impact several feet into the air. The nullifying cuffs at Kanou-a's wrists tore themselves apart and dropped useless on the floor with a clatter.

The teens gasped. Gwen whispered to frozen Julie, "He defied the cuffs! How's is it even _possible_ to do magic with them on, in the first place!"

Around and around, winds circled Kanou-a softly and then picked up the pace, as if kicking up a storm. A blade-shaped glow of indigo joined the wind that spun widely around him, his hair staring to defy gravity as the silken strands levitated. His eyes were now almost white in its glow of blue, his face nearly marble pale.

He looked like a halo-laced demi-god, terrifying to behold, and just as breathtakingly beautiful.

A sneaker lifted and stepped forward, and the prince took a few steps. Rumbling sounds of wind sliced the air. Wind fluttered everywhere, making the teens' hair and clothes flutter too.

"_I have had enough of this_," Kanou-a hissed, his voice sounded as if there were _three_ Kanou-a's speaking at the same time, as if the voices were coming from all corners of the room, inescapable, clear and demeaning:

"_Running, fighting, violence, pain, guilt, terror, hurt, blood, tears, screams of pain_..."

He stepped a few more, his claws grew from his fingers, his clothes started to flutter, his skin shone, his eyes glowed, his hair bannered dangerously.

"_Enough_... I have had _enough_..." he whispered, panting faster now, his nostrils flaring more, as he grit his teeth at the alien who looked as if he had spotted a ghost.

_"I HAVE HAD **ENOUGH**!"_

The scream was _so_ loud and terrorising that even _Ben_ nearly teared up in fright. Everyone shrank into their clothes at the powerful voice. Veremnos felt his knees buckle a little. What was this sudden energy in the air, paralysing him, intimidating him, making him TASTE fear? What _is_ this? What _was_ this?

A blast sounded, echoing terribly in the air, making every ear hurt a moment; every pair of eyes saw that the spot Kanou-a stood on was now a ball of blue flaming manna, rippling in several possible shades of blue .

Kanou-a within it was only a human silhouette of indigo blue, but his eyes were the only feature defined; presently staring, watching, glaring, white-blue irises with pinprick pupils.

Veremnos felt his very _energy_ being slowly seeped off him as he looked into the ceaselessly terrifying eyes.

_"YOU HURT MY FRIENDS!"_

Kanou-a let out a feral growl of annoyance rippling through the air, making every heart jump and race as if to run away from the source of the growl. The powerful hands raised and, on cue, tearing winds spun around him again, till whipped his hands in a slicing motion and the wind ran towards the standing Synthetons and toppled them off several feet into the air. The teens (and the Synthetons that held them) were unharmed, however. C-Mexx was caught in the assault and he was flung away, as well.

_"YOU HURT KIRBY!"_

Clawed fingers were seen curling up into fists.

'CLICK-CLICK-CLICK!' Immediately, the nullifying cuffs around the wrists of the _teens_ exploded to bits, surprising even the prisoners who were freed; the teens jumped staring at their free hands. And the Synthetons who had been holding them started to choke as if an invisible hand was strangling their necks. Slowly, the mutants descended to their knees and then simply fell sideways, dead. The teens stepped away from the twitching bodies in disgust and terror.

_"YOU _**_IMPRISONED_**_ ME, IN A _**_GLASS CAGE_**_**!** _**_ME!_**_ THE FOURTH _**_PRINCE_**_ OF THE OCEAN! DO YOU EVEN _**_KNOW_**_ WHAT 'RESPECT' MEANS, YOU _**_IMBECILE_**_?!"_

Kanou-a sliced the air with his hand in anger, his fangs glowing within the silhouette. The teens shrank back, Gwen and Julie holding each other, shaking and trembling in the presence of the scary Kanou-a's wrath. Ben shook in fear too, suddenly feeling strangely to this humanoid; he had never seen Kanou-a in this light, and it was scaring the daylights out of him. Kevin touched him on the shoulder, and Ben immediately clutched the Osmosian's arm for support. Even Kevin was spooked out of his shoes, well, in the symbolic sense. Together the four teens stared at the merman.

Kanou-a continued in his frighteningly chilling voice, "YOU CREATED _CREATURES_ TO CAPTURE MY FRIENDS! MEANINGLESS CREATURES FOR _YOUR_ BENEFIT!" Kanou-a raised a hand and a spark formed in his finger to suddenly make a flame which transformed into a huge ball of very much alive fire, as if roaring to char something or someone in eagerness.

_He formed fire... on his own!_ Ben gasped to himself.

The anger fuelling the merman had elevated his powers to such an extent that even the element of fire was now under his control.

Kanou-a held the levitating ball of fire, which refused to stop growing and growing till it was a huge as a car! It floated above Kanou-a's right hand that was raised in front of him, and without leaving his freezing glare on Veremnos, he swung his right hand sideways, making the ball of inferno shoot excitedly for the mutant-generating computer.

_'BOOM!'_

An explosion tore through the air as the super-computer was destroyed, eaten by a torrent of golden and tangerine flames, smoke billowing in puffs for the ceiling. Kanou-a panted, the side of his face glowing as the flames ate away at the computer.

"YOU ARE _NO_ ONE TO CREATE LIFE, VEREMNOS! YOU HAVE _NO_ RIGHT TO CLAIM _ANY_ LIFE BUT YOUR _OWN!_" Kanou-a bellowed, as he stepped further, his anger increasing by every second he breathed, "YOU _DISTURBED_ THE BALANCE OF _NATURE_, BY MAKING CREATURES THAT HAVE _NO_ AURA OF EXISTANCE! YOU HAVE DISGRACED THE FORCES THAT CREATE LIFE FOR THE CYCLE OF FATE!"

Veremnos shook a little, his fingers going white as he clutched tightly at the railings.

Even though it was paralysing him, Veremnos _could not_ peel his eyes away from the indigo glare that was boring into his face, into his being, into his energy, feeding on his fear. Drawing in a strangling breath, Veremnos did not feel any safer to be up in the air on a hovercraft.

Immediately, Kanou-a shouted, "I HAVE _HAD_ IT WITH YOU AND YOU'RE SINFUL SELFISH ACTS!" Kanou-a seethed, the flames of blue surrounding him blazed faster in fury, and parted sideways, to reveal him again, his face only angrier than before.

The teens watching him shuddered into each other.

"_EVERY_ BEING THAT LIVES HAS A PURPOSE OF SURVIVAL, OF LIVING, OF ADAPTING! EVERY CREATURE SO CREATED HAS A ROLE IN NATURE! HOW _DARE_ YOU EVEN _THINK_ THAT YOU COULD USE LIVES FOR YOUR _OWN_ BENEFIT! AS _ENERGY_ SOURCES!"

Kanou-a stepped forward, his hand raised to Veremnos, fingers surrounded by boiling coils of water that spun at alarming speeds, soft wisps of steam curling around his hands, "YOU USED ME AS AN _ENERGY_ _SOURCE?!_ YOU PUT ME IN _CONFINEMENT_, _PEIRCED_ ME WITH THE _TERRIBLE_ FEELING OF HAVING MY LIFE-ENERGY _STRIPPED_ AWAY FROM MY SKIN! _HUMILIATED_ ME, _SMIRKING_ AT MY FACE AS I REMAINED HELPLESS IN THE GLASS CYLINDER! HOW _DARE_ YOU! _HOW DARE YOU!_"

"DDD-AAhh!" Veremnos gasped as long bolts of water shot everywhere, his hovercraft shook violently, blasting under his feet. He gripped his head with his arms, protecting his face and head from debris as the computer behind him started to explode as well. Veremnos felt his hovercraft give under him and he went toppling for the floor in a high-pitched screech.

'BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!'

The entire room was now resounding in explosions as the huge supercomputer sparked, buzzed and tore itself apart in blasts, inch by inch it but fast; every other computer in the was starting to shake and buzz, too. Specimen Pods shook, the liquids within boiled and frothed as Kanou-a's energy flowed everywhere, angry, impatient, insulted, vengeful, furious, uncontrolled. Devices, machines, controls and lights beeped madly, red lights flashed and sirens wailed as smoke and dust stirred in the air; _everything_ was shaking, the ground, the walls, the floor, the Spaceship; all helpless and victim to the incurred wrath of the Prince.

The teens had also ducked and covered, coughing in the smoke that billowed everywhere. They remained crouched on the floor like tortoises, arms over heads. Kevin removed his head from his arms and looked over his shoulder, and saw Kanou-a's silhouetted form still unfazed and unmoving even amidst the thundering noise, siren-wails, explosions and destruction he was creating by the waves of his pulsing uncontrolled energy.

When the smoke cleared, and the falling debris has stopped raining everywhere, only the wailing sirens were left stinging the air. All Kanou-a had to do was _will_ it, and the sirens stopped as well. Slowly, silence settled into the air like the clouds upon clouds of dust motes of the rubble around him.

Kanou-a fixed his eyes on the fallen blue-skinned alien, who sat oddly on the floor on a heap of broken tiles, machine-parts and tubes. Veremnos shook his head, and gripped at his left side in pain. He coughed and spat red blood from his mouth as he struggled to sit up.

When he did look up, he saw Kanou-a. Prince Kanou-a, standing a few feet away, eyeing him relentlessly and continuously with those pale, cold, cold, life-sucking eyes. Eyes that were killing him even as he watched. Gulping, Veremnos shuddered, crawling backwards, pressing his back to the deteriorated wall, as if for refuge from the glare.

The teens unwound their tangled protective circle of hands, and stood up, dusting at their clothes, to see that Kanou-a was no longer human.

He was now full merman, floating in the air like he had before, a spinning cocoon of bright crystal water around his tail. His bare upper-body with the pale skin shining like a sculpted marble statue. Even though he was now a little away towards Veremnos with his back to the teens, the four youngsters could see the merman's face reflecting off the glass panels that had fallen from the ceiling to rest lopsidedly against the walls. The terrible cracks of the glass combined with Kanou-a's chilling expression all amplified his deadly presence. And yet, he was innumerably beautiful, in unexplainable ways.

Ben gripped Kevin's shirt, and the raven held him consolingly close as they watched the merman standing before the indigo-skinned Veremnos who remained on the floor pressed to the broken wall.

"_You_," Kanou-a hissed in a voice cold enough to make icicles in the air as he spoke, "You have committed sins _beyond_ pardon; you have _hurt_ the balance of nature, _defied_ the laws of peace. I wager that you have _selfishly_ captured _innocent_ lives and turned them into monsters. You have created poor creatures that have _no_ intelligence, all merely for your benefit. You _dared_ to capture MY friends, and dared to sell MY Kirby as a _concubine_ to another, for profit. You have committed unpardonable sins! Unpardonable! UNPARDONABLE!"

Kanou-a growled again, the fins on his shoulder stood up in ire, and started to grow, till they were like cape-collars to his shoulders. Sparks flew off his body, as his chest heaved, fists curled, veins rode under the tight skin on his flexed biceps, and his nostrils flared, all the while pinning the terrified Veremnos with his unfeeling eyes.

"You _insulted_ me," Kanou-a's voiced snaked the air like cold coils of metal, "You _hurt_ me, you _tossed _me about as if I were an _object_; you knew who I was, yet showed not an _inch_ of respect! moreover, you dared to put MY kingdom in jeopardy for your whims, using all your superior intellect for something dastardly and uncivilised! _Shame_ on you." the face of the prince displayed disgust. Veremnos shook under the glare of it.

Kanou-a shot out his right hand to his side and opened his fist, "Merpeople do not resort to violence as methods of solving disputes. However, when sins more _darker_ than the _blackest_ of nights are committed in front of our eyes, it is a sin on _OUR_ part to let it go _unpunished_." Swivels of air gushed around Kanou-a's hand. Something was starting to materialise in his grasp.

Ben, Kevin, Gwen and Julie gasped. A long rod was extending downwards from Kanou-a's hand. Three spiked blades were extending upwards. A flourish of blue light glowed around the weapon that formed and defined itself into Kanou-a's grip.

A beautiful, but deadly trident. Its blades were huge and flashing lithely sharp enough to slice through diamond. It had gems on its hilts catching light, while feathery flakes of white strips, resembling fins, were billowing like ribbons at its base where the head of blades met the rod. The colour of the body of the trident was the same as that of Kanou-a's tail.

Ben noticed it was not _just_ the trident that was new, as his friends soon saw as well; Kanou-a had a crown on his head now, a coral crown of white with shades of purple, blue and violet. It's cone-shaped projections were pointing outwards like rays around the Sun, it was decorated with pearls and curling ferns that grew on it, small sparkles were frequently blinking about Kanou-a's head like fireflies, peppering the pitch black hair. The fins of Kanou-a's shoulder stood up again, twice larger than normal, fanning out. His claws shone like a witch's as his fingers curled around the body of the trident.

"I am not the ruler of the Land World, or the Air World, hence have no say in the rules regarding the justice to be delivered to the respective kingdoms," Kanou-a announced, a voice devoid of any emotion, being cold and indifferent, demanding the respect that he was not given, "_But,_ I AM the Prince of the Water Kingdom that you had declared to capture for your selfish greed of power, and I have the _right_ to condemn the culprit who dares attack my kingdom; and therefore, I see no better alternative executioner for your sentence, but I."

Ben perked up. The teens blinked at each other, numb and confused. Ben gasped to himself, _Wait, what?_

Kanou-a caught his trident tighter and spun it around such that it's huge blades now faced downwards, at Veremnos. The ivory eyes of the wounded and bruised alien went saucer-sized as he gasped, and flailing his out hands in defence, "No- wait- please- I surrend-"

"SILENCE!" Kanou-a growled interrupting, making the speaker shudder, as the authorative Prince continued in disgust, "You have _no_ right to speak to me, you pathetic excuse of a creature!" cold-blue eyes pierced like icicles into Veremnos' face. Chiselled chest heaved in anger and perturbed wrath.

Kanou-a raised his trident, pulling it backwards. His right hand held it just above his own shoulder, and his left supported its base just near the blades. His chest inflated defining his muscles, his nostrils widened, and jaws clenched as he growled, "You deserve the _worst_ consequences for your heinous acts! you shall be condemned greatly for your vain attempts of trying to gain what is not to be your's!"

Ben froze from his spot. Suddenly, realising what Kanou-a was about to do, Ben jumped out of Kevin's grip and took off in a sprint towards Kanou-a. Kevin gaped and panicked, taking off after him. The girls followed suit after they regained their senses that had gone ice-numb in the effect of Kanou-a's scary behaviour.

"WAIT! KANOU-A, WAIT! DONT!" Ben called out. Kanou-a remained frozen, trident raised for assault, eyes still burning holes into the terrified Veremnos's face.

Ben huffed, feeling breathless and when he had caught his breath, he felt a little shaken to be in the deadly aura of the prince's new side, so he kept a distance and spoke as politely as he could, "Kanou-a, you don't have to kill him; we can hand him to the Plumbers, they'll take him into custody and -"

"Kirby!" Kanou-a's eyes left Veremnos for the first time since a long while, only to pin them on Ben who regretted attracting the royal prince's attention and stepped back in the intensity of the gaze that burnt and chilled at the same time. It was a wonder how Veremnos managed to keep staring back into eyes like that for so long without passing out. Kanou-a looked so cold that Ben for a moment even _doubted_ if the merman knew him at all.

"You shall not speak here, Kirby; this is the matter of me delivering my verdict to the culprit who would have been responsible for the destruction of MY people. I have, therefore, the _right_, the _obligation_ and the _authority_ to deliver the justice. You shall keep your silence in this matter, Kirby."

"But Kanou-a-"

"_Kirby - ...you, shall, keep, your, silence, in this matter_," Kanou-a's eyelids slid higher up his eyeballs, making his sharper eyes emphasis his decision threateningly. Ben stepped back, feeling shivers of ice-cold all over, never having seen Kanou-a so angry. Timidly, Ben nodded, stumbling backward till his back hit Kevin's chest, and the raven caught him by the arms to straighten him. Ben looked over his shoulder and up at Kevin in dismay. Kevin could only gaze down at Ben, helpless. The girls stood just behind Kevin, peering from his side, intimidated by Kanou's shining, beautiful but terribly scary presence.

Kanou-a turned back to Veremnos.

The girls and the boys backed a bit away, knowing what was to come, holding their breaths.

Kanou-a took in a deep breath as well, and spoke in voided tones of inhumane blankness, "I, Prince Kanou-a, fourth son of King Thresthemon, sentence you, Veremnos, immediate death for violating all rules of Nature with violence, greed and malicious nonchalance. You deserve worse than death, but I can serve you only what I can give, which is condemnable death. Take pride you die neatly, rather than be roasted inch-by-inch and then have your body go up in flames, as you actually deserve!"

Kanou-a raised the blade higher, and the teens recoiled in suspense. Ben turned and buried his face into Kevin's chest, and the raven drew the brunette closer, having his mahogany eyes narrow in the bloody scene to follow. The girls chewed into their nails, hiding behind Kevin's shoulder, peering with terrorised eyes.

Veremnos trembled from his spot, back pressed as hard as he could into the wall although he knew he would not escape or survive even a _lick_ from those extremely polished blades. His shut his eyes tight, fearing and expecting the worst. Kanou-a swung the blade higher ready to thrust it forward, but -

'Whoosh!'

Suddenly, something moved. Kanou-a paused. The teens froze. Ben removed his face from Kevin's chest and blinked at the scene.

Veremnos opened his eyes carefully, questioning why the blade had not diced his body into shrivelling strips of meat.

_What... SS-ss-C-Mexx ?!_ Veremnos' mind snapped in confusion.

Surely, there he was, the red-haired alien, standing between his Commander and the Royal trident's blades that nearly scrapped his chest. His hands were defensively put out to his either sides, as he faced the blades bravely.

Kanou-a snarled at the shorted male, "_Foolish creature!_ Move aside, the spoken death sentence _shall_ be executed!" Kanou-a kept the trident pointed right at C-Mexx's chest, not leaving any room for doubt.

To everyone's surprise, C-Mexx slowly descend to one knee, and bowed respectfully to Kanou-a, head low such that his curtain of shirt red hair framed either sides of his handsome face, while one hand pressed to his chest and the other touched the floor, "Your Highness Prince Kanou-a, I acknowledge you and the authority you duly deserve. I agree that we, my Commander and I, have done heinous acts. What we have done, we cannot take back, so you have every right to punish the culprits. But... please show mercy, please spare my Commander's life."

"_NO_," Kanou-a refused stubbornly, frowning, teeth clenching, blade still pointed at C-Mexx, "The life of the sinner shall be taken as per the sentence."

"Then, I beg of you; spare my Commander, take _my_ life instead."

The teens gasped at what they heard.

Veremnos' eyes widened, his silvery eyebrows twitching in disbelief. Kanou-a paused, his emotion-less eyes flashing over the red-haired head bent low in front of him respectfully.

"Step _aside_, young man," Kanou-a spoke calmly but coldly in a threatening air, "You have only followed your Commander's orders, and are not as condemned. It is your _Commander_ who deserves his punishment!"

"Yes, but I have equal participation in the acts committed, and that makes me as righteous to death as my Commander. Your Highness is in need to take _one_ sinner's life, then let it be mine! I beg of you, please, spare his life, and take mine; I gladly offer it, I accept the sins of my Commander as my own, and will willingly submit to your wrath for his sake. Because," his face slowly lifted, to look up at the majestic merman, black eyes shining for the first time in unbridled emotions were earlier there had been none, "C-Mexx is _nothing_ without his Commander."

Veremnos froze from behind C-Mexx. The teens, with their fallen jaws, were gaping like gorillas.

Kanou-a narrowed his silvery blue eyes down at the red head who bowed his head low again, as a show of respect to Kanou-a. The fine and slim shoulders were visibly shaking, not in fear but in determination.

Inconvinced, with a glaze of doubt behind his eyes, Kanou-a spoke sharply, "Why must his life carry the same value to you as yours?"

"I..." C-Mexx paused, licking his dry lips nervously. He maintained his calm look which he planted on the floor, and confessed:

"I am in love with my Commander. So much so that my life shall go in sacrifice before his is even risked."

The teens gaped further. They had not expected _this_ to turn out all of a sudden.

"Please, kill me, but spare my Commander."

Kanou-a pinned his eyes on the red hair.

The teens slowly moved their wide eyes from C-Mexx to Kanou-a, wondering and waiting for the prince's decision.

Hearts drummed in suspense.

Slowly, Kanou-a lowered the blade, and touched its tip to the silky scarlet hair of the small head bowed to him, "Rise, benevolent creature."

Kanou-a moved the trident back, and spun it such that it now pointed at the half-destroyed ceiling. The long rod touched the ground as Kanou-a held it. C-Mexx stood up calmly and looked up from his bow. His black eyes were glazed in emotion, but otherwise, he wore his calm and solemn expression as always.

Chest inflated self-importantly, and face frowning, Kanou-a spoke, now sounding gentler than before, "I sense truth in your words. And though your aura is unfamiliar to me, I can also sense true love in your aura," Kanou-a nodded solemnly, "As a being who has experienced the seizing power of affection, I understand that you do truly love your Commander. Though I must punish your Commander for his deeds, your request shall be granted; I shall spare his life, and yours as well, for I know and understand that the strength of love can wash away any sin tainted in one's soul. If one learns to love truly, he or she learns to abide by Nature's rules. I thereby exclude the two of you from the execution."

Slowly, smiles erupted on the teens' faces. Veremnos relaxed, but kept his mouth open, and eyes wide, still in shock although the fear of death had been evaporated. almost the next moment, those deadly pale eyes were pinned on him again, as Kanou-a snapped at him angrily, "THIS, Veremnos -," he pointed at C-Mexx, "- is a display of affection. The _same_ display of affection that you so _easily_ mocked and insulted, condemning the humans for owning it. But that _very_ same power of love has now _saved_ your life. Let this be a lesson to you that _before_ you selfishly label something as 'worthless', _think and analyse_. Besides, it does not make humans inferior to you just because they have feelings; in fact, it is the _lowest_ of unintelligent creatures that do _not_ have the ability to love. to love is something only very complex hearts and wise minds can do. Where do _you_, who have prided yourself to not succumb to affection, stand as per that classification?"

veremnos lowered his eyes darkly at the floor, feeling heavy and defeated.

Thin lips moved as Kanou-a continued in powerful but calm tones, "Coming to the matter at hand, I am thereby letting the two of you live. However, I shall let you go _only_ if you promise to _never_ set foot on Earth _ever_ again. Neither will you continue to do the deeds you had done till now. _Both_ of you." Kanou-a brandished his trident, swinging it mildly between the two aliens' faces.

C-Mexx nodded, "Yes, Your Highness; we promise to _never_ come to Earth again, nor will we be a bother to anyone or anything."

Kanou-a raised his head, looking down at them from his nose, in dignity. "Good; now _leave_, and take this _terrible_ vessel of calamity with you!" Kanou-a huffed, his nostrils flaring again, but his anger had calmed by several shades. Kanou-a moved back, pulling his trident behind him to make it disappear, dissolving into the air in a ruse of pretty blue sparkles. The merman turned and moved away, towards what seemed to be the door of the lab but was now a hanging metal slab of bent edges, courtesy Kanou-a's uncontrolled energy wave.

The teens slowly and silently followed the floating prince.

C-Mexx blinked, seeing that the merman was no longer demanding attention or trying to thrust a blade down his throat, so he let out a small sigh of relief that he had been holding, and the exhaustion rushed right back into his body; earlier, during Kanou-a's energy wave blast, he had been tossed aside and had later fallen trapped under debris. It had tired him out but when he saw the merman aiming his powerful bladed weapon at his Commander's face, it was as if his energies had just swept right back into him in a determined rush. And now, since the matter was solved and his Commander was safe, C-Mexx could relax. His shaking legs gave away as he fell to his knees slowly, head lowered. His shoulders nearly shook too.

"C-C-C-Mexx?"

The red-haired alien looked over his shoulder and twisted his body around, to see the wide-eyed Veremnos stare at him in awe and shock. C-Mexx had forgotten that the Commander _himself_ sat behind him as he confessed to the godly merman.

C-Mexx silently gazed at the Commander, as did the Commander stare at him. C-Mexx blinked, and Veremnos blinked as well. A slow ruse of red spread across C-Mexx's cheeks as his lips opened to speak, but Veremnos reached out and slowly cupped C-Mexx's face in his trembling fingers, altogether silencing the red-head.

"_C-Mexx_," the torn voice whispered, pulling the face closer making the body lean against him and suddenly embracing him around the shoulder, Veremnos pressed his lips to C-Mexx's soft hair, hugging him warmly; gratitude, admiration and reciprocation of affection all blooming and bubbling in that _one_ gesture. C-Mexx smiled softly into Veremnos' chest. Both bodies were shaking in the aftermath of the terrifying and close-to-death events, as they huddled together, and gripped each other with tight fingers on tight fabric, consoling each other.

Ben watched them from the door, his face smiling, since it felt so nice to know another couple had found love, that too, two persons who had not shown any acceptance of human emotions.

_Humans rock, and don't you forget it! _Ben smiled proudly to himself.

Kevin was watching the huddled couple too, a smirk tugging and threatening to slip out. The girls too looked relieved.

Then Ben, Kevin, Gwen and Julie slowly turned to Kanou-a, who was looking at the room calmly as if analysing the damage he had created. His face was blank, eyes half-lidded, lips a thin line of nonchalance.

The four teens blinked and gazed stupidly at the merman. Feeling the lingering stare, the merman turned his head slowly and looked at them with indigo eyes. Immediately, almost as if in reflex, the four simultaneously took a step back carefully.

Kanou-a's pretty eyes widened, "W-whats the matter? Why do you all look so pale?"

The four looked at each other in surprise. Then Ben turned and carefully spoke, "Uh, Kanou-a; you, uh, you're okay now, right?"

Kanou-a blinked at them doll-like, "Of course I am. Wasn't I before?"

"Uh, you didn't notice anything weird about yourself, just a little while ago?" Ben spoke quietly.

"Uh..." Kanou-a looked lost a moment. He then gasped in realisation, and put up his hand to touch his coral princely-crown and laughed, "Oh _this _you mean! Hahah! Well, it very much materialises on it's own when we summon our weaponry; the crown in a symbol of my bloodline, you see!" Kanou-a smiled in his sweet nature.

The teens looked even more stupid now.

How did a deadly murderer Kanou-a turn into the 'cotton-candy-sunshine-dearie' Kanou-a so soon?

"Was there something wrong that you noticed?" Kanou-a asked innocently.

It was hard to believe this same radiant face of friendly handsomeness was a few minutes ago giving them all a terrorised nightmare-experience.

"Uh...well," Ben scratched the back of his neck timidly, blushing as he did, "You remember telling me about how hot your bros looked when they got really angry?"

"Yes?"

"Yeah, uh, we got to see you angry just now. You looked fantabulous!"

"Oh..." Kanou-a looked a little lost with a confused smile, he glanced at Gwen and Julie who nodded, "It means you looked extremely gorgeous."

"Oh!" Kanou-a looked surprised, and then (to Kevin's irritation) he blushed sweetly, "Thank you! But, I don't see why you all were so pale?"

"Yeeeeaaaah," Ben tugged at his collar idly, "Um, that's 'cause you literally scared the _living_ _daylight _outta us, Kanou-a; we had _never_ seen you _so_ mad before! Wow, the terror; my heart is still drumming!"

The girls nodded eagerly in agreement, placing a hand on their chests to check on their hearts to find that Ben was indeed right from their sides too.

Kanou-a looked a little guilty as he gave them his best apologetic smile, "I am extremely sorry; I suppose the wrath I inherited from Father has a very strong hold on me."

"Aw, forget that; you _rocked_ out there!" Ben smiled brightly, jumping to hug his lover now that he was not to terrifying to be around, "Just _look_ at the all carnage you made, man! Not even _one_ Syntheton is left alive!"

Kanou-a looked on sadly at the scene of the Laboratory, hugging Ben back, "It pains me a little, that I was responsible for this ugly picture of destruction. We mermen do not like violence."

"Yet, you guys seem real good at it," Kevin added slyly.

Kanou-a looked at him, and smiled. Kevin looked away bluntly, suddenly remembering those eyes from a few minutes ago, that admittedly could have made anyone with a weak heart to piss in their pants.

- End of Chapter -

* * *

**_Ok guys, I am so sorry, but this chapters not hitting it off for me. Sorry, I have a lot to deal with and im not well, and im kinda sick to my tummy. =_= _**

**_please give me a moment._**

**_blllurgh. blugh. bllaaaakkh. uuccccgh. [end tummy-trouble rant] ok im done. :D_**

**_Review ! pls! Favs and follows are welcome too! _**


	21. I'm right here

**new chappie! Oh my GODDDDD! ForTheLoveOfLink has given me an AMAZING complement! I quote "... Someone should send this to Man of Action, and make them include Kanou-a in the TV show! He's. So. COOL!..." and I shud add she 'died' after the complement, due to kanou-a's awesomeness.**

**... =*o*= ...**

**to include my own character in a POPULAR TV SHOW?! YOU GUYS ARE JUST KILLING ME! SO MUCH LOVE FOR MY KANOU-A! OH GOD! I love you all! thank you soooo much! (cries in happiness) especially to ForTheLoveOfLink who actually mentioned me in her profile! I still cant get over how you described my story as the best in fanficnet! im so touched I kept squealing into the air for i dunno how long! thnk you all! thnk you!**

**aw I think im feeling better already! take THAT tummy-flu! BWAHAHAAHH! *coughcoughcough!***

**I dunno if I shud be happy that I managed to scare the HELL out of the reader with my super hot mad kanou-achan! hahaha seriously, wow. even im stupefied. and I had been ill and I was worried the chapter was flawed, but wow, really, wow!**

**And april fool's day just went by; I hate the day due to past experiences btw, but I hope u all had fun! :P and I had a lovely surprise of my own; awesomelyawesome, a Guest, happens to review in great awe of this story, and I squeal about as always whn I get reviews, until suspicions lead me to question my bestie J.J, who finally admitted that she was 'aweseomlyawesome', no pun intended :P hehe! It was funny! :D so, a special shout-out to my bestie- ... J.J! LOVE YOU! :D**

**Oh, hi there Reyna Gold! Well, to answer your questions (2 of them ?!) hmm, when u ask whom I like more, Submissive or Dominant, thats a tough question. Personally I like the Dominant, but sometimes I flip to like the cute lil submissive kitten too! :3 but I dunno, actually I like both and... oh man, Madame Gold, you evil lady you! (sigh) ok, well that answer was an epic fail. Ok on to the next question... oh boy, best fanfic I ever read on this website?! Seriously... hmm... well, I have a couple of suggestions, the top one wud be A Tale of a Demon Lord, by Kitty Gets Loose, written for the fandom Sesshomaru/inuyasha, for the serries Inu Yasha. Its so well-written I felt ashamed of my own writings! :P and the next most awesome fic I ever read wud be Numb, by deranged black kitten of doom, written for Kevin/Ben. its really dense and superb too! Its incomplete, sadly, but I hope the writer updates by any chance. Oh and... im sorry but I have no idea about the Doctor Who series, so I haven't read that fic u have mentioned T_T! And, coming to the next matter, yes, I think I like the 'prince' bit! Its actually really cute! Aw, u shud have mentioned this earlier, and I wud have used it in my story! Oh and don't worry, although I have no problem with threesomes, tho I do tend to shy up like you, I am not going to put a threesome in this story, at this point it wud be ridiculous! Hahah!**

**Once again, u have taken a chunk offa my authors note, reyna gold! **

**:D hahaha... :'( I love you guys...**

**okay now on to the new chapter that is being anticipated! hawhawhaw!**

**warning: boys love / yaoi / fighting / there had been gorey stuff / youre call.**

**disclaimer. I don't own ben ten alien force. Rath made THAT clear T_T.**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**Chapter twenty one: I'm right here**

Now that the computer was destroyed, Kanou-a, Ben, Kevin, Gwen and Julie were about to leave the lab, when a shout stopped them dead in their tracks.

"Please, wait!"

The five of them turned around, to see that Veremnos was the one who had called out. He was struggling as he stood up with C-Mexx's help. The redhead had an arm around his Commander's waist, and had slung the latter's arm around his own shoulder. The silver-haired alien looked up at the five who stared back to know why they had been stopped.

"The bomb," Veremnos spoke in concern, "Since the computer has been destroyed, it is true that the Mutation Bomb will have no dataflow to lead it, but I have a _very_ bad hunch that the bomb is going to mutate nonetheless; but in a manner more _different_ and _drastic_ than that I had planned!"

Kevin raised an eyebrow and frowned, "_How_ drastic?"

Veremnos bit his lip, "I suspect that it will be twice as larger than I had wanted it, and its growth will go out of control, as will its structure and mass; it won't be of use for what I had planned it to do, but I doubt it will be harmless!"

The teens looked at each other, feeling dread hit their stomach once more, for the umpteenth time that day. Was there _ever_ going to be a stop to this feeling of worry?

Kanou-a stared at Veremnos, who looked back with true sincerity in his ivory eyes. Then, Kanou-a was the one to nod, "Thank you for informing us about this, we shall handle the creature as fast as we can."

The dumbfounded Veremnos looked at the solemn merman, and now he too found it a little hard to believe that the previously terrifying cold eyes were presently so warm and calm. Kanou-a even gave him a polite smile of thanks.

"Should we... uh... _can_ we help? In _any_ way?" Veremnos asked doubtfully. He was not sure that the teens and the merman would accept the help of the now-ex-villain, but he wished to ask, in a way of redemption of all he had done.

The merman shook his head politely, "No, that will be unnecessary, but thank you for the concern," then, Kanou-a smiled, "You may leave the responsibility to us. Meanwhile, please make arrangements to leave Earth. I hope the both of you have a good life ahead of you, with no bad deeds to mark your souls."

Vermenos and C-Mexx looked at each other, and then smiled gratifyingly at the merman.

o.o.o

The merman and his friends now stood at the beach, watching the huge, black Spaceship zoom away, a trail of smoke following it where in its labyrinths a room had been half-destroyed (the Lab that is).

Kanou-a turned to the horizon that showed signs of evening. Orange, red and violet colours were sweeping across the vast expanse of sky, like an artist's canvas. The sun hung in that sky like a small disc of pink, amidst the violet hues.

"_Man_, it's good to be back on the ground again!" Ben sighed, as he stretched out his hands, cracking and popping bones into place. Kevin was doing the same, and then twirling his arms at the shoulders. The girls swivelled their hips, sighing at the freedom from the metallic interiors they had been imprisoned in, all day since morning.

Sighs and relieved groans peppered the air along with the sighs of the breeze. The same breeze blew softly through the air, making the teens fall silent and listen, admiring the way it felt against their skins. The fringes on their foreheads fluttered as they gazed at the pretty artistic scenery of the sky. Their clothes fluttered around they body, and there were small patches, and greyish blemishs on their pants, shirts, tops, all a result of f ighting since morning. Kevin had the most damage to his clothes, in the relative sense, gained from being in the Cublor's tummy.

Kanou-a took a deep breath of the familiar salty air, and smiled, letting it out in a relieved sigh.

Almost immediately the next moment, his smile fell.

Kanou-a had sensed it _even before_ the ground started to shake.

"H-hey, what's going on?!" the surprised teens hunched, looking down at the sandy ground under their feet, while they put their hands out to keep their balance. Kanou-a and Gwen glanced at each other; green irises meeting blue orbs.

The redhead Anodite spoke, "Did you feel that too, Kanou-a?"

"Yes. So, _you_ did, too?"

"Faintly, but, yes!"

The brunette Ben gave out gasp, "Woah, an earthquake?" as he stumbled and held Julie when she bumped into him in surprise with a squeak.

Suddenly, Kanou-a and Kevin gasped together, "Oh no!" their wide eyes were staring out to the horizon. Ben, Gwen and Julie looked at the direction the twins were staring at, and their gasps added to the air as well.

The ocean's greyish blue waves shook as a huge shadow started to appear on the surface of it. Against the horizon's colours and light, a huge red-coloured head was slowly starting to rise out of the water, streams of sparkling water flowing off it as it lifted further and further.

"T-that must the Cublor that the bomb created!" Ben gaped. Kevin nodded, confirming his doubt. The girls stepped back as they watched the mound grow larger and larger, spilling the displaced water, droplets showering everywhere.

"Its okay, guys! We don't have to panic," Ben spoke with his eyes glued on the mound of red that grew, although his voice wavered slightly, "Its only ONE Cublor right? We can take it; together, it'll be easy!"

The head was rising and rising.

But then, it was noticeable that there was no stop to it!

"Ohhhhkaaaay," Kevin spoke long and nervous as he stepped further back, his mahogany eyes wrought on the head whose feelers and fins seemed to be appearing on it, "The thing's not stopping its growth."

The dismayed Ben looked at the growing creature.

"NOW can we panic, Tennyson?!" Kevin groaned, eyes not leaving the growing mound.

"I'mma go with a YES!" Ben gulped.

The teens stepped back some more.

Kanou-a watched too, his eyebrows slanting upwards in the middle, "_Good God of the Ocean!_ Its _bigger_ than the creature that swallowed Friend Kevin!"

Surely, this red Cublor was, as Veremnos predicted, out-growing expectations; several small black eyes appeared on the huge head that grew out against the sun's light. Growls and groans sounded in the sir, the ground shook a little more, although it was doubtful whether that was the doing of the creature's _growth_ or the creature's _growls_.

The teens had their heads fall back as their eyes followed the mound rise and rise, a large cavernous mouth was now appearing, amidst the waterfall of salty ocean water that swam off i's slick slimy skin as its grew out the surface. Bigger and bigger, it was now roughly the size of THREE normal Cublor larvae those themselves had been formidably huge. The large shadow of the crimson-hued Cublor washed over the five and everywhere else it could reach on the shore.

"Its-its just really HUGE!" Julie gasped loudly.

"Like, Waybig kinda HUGE!" Gwen added.

Kanou-a suddenly turned around as he swung his hands out to his side. The teens turned to him, blinking in confusion.

"Uh, Kanou-a?" Gwen asked doubtfully, for she could suddenly feel his energy activating and rippling in the air.

Kanou-a's eyes glowed neon-blue as he spoke, "The humans who live on this shore must not see this abominable Cublor, or the curiosity will drive them too close to it, and they shall fall victim to any crossfire! We must not let innocent lives be put at stake in this fight!"

The girls blushed in awe at Kanou-a's foresight; he was indeed going to be a very thoughtful and just ruler.

Sparkles of energy glowed at Kanou-a's fingertips as he made a waves of rippling light swim out his hands. It flew about along the vast abandoned shore and disappeared.

"What was _that_ trick?" Ben asked curiously, looking around and trying to spot the disintegrated energy wave.

Kanou-a answered, "I created a mirage; an invisible shield all along the shoreline so that any human who would happen to see the Ocean will not see the Cublor, but instead, they will see a stormy Ocean, thereby discouraging any attempts to come out for a swim."

Ben smiled proudly at Kanou-a's ingenuity. The girls beamed in admiration. On the contrary, Kevin pouted, looking away, finding it sour to digest how cool the merman was. But his temporary jealously did not last long; it was replaced by shock, as he looked at the Cublor and gasped:

"GUYS! Its stopped growing!"

The four that were distracted, whipped their heads back at the horizon partly blocked by the Synthetic Mutant Cublor. It looked different from a normal Cublor, and the five guessed that this must be the _full_ version of the Cublor _larvae_ that they fought. It was definitely NOT a pleasant fact.

The huge mouth, big enough to swallow several monster trucks, opened to bellow in thundering cataclysmic roars. The teens, with their hair flying and clothes fluttering, slammed their hands to their ears and winced in pain. Whipping winds and spray of water rained everywhere. The ground shook again.

Kanou-a flinched at the sight, feeling dreadfully _helpless_.

It was _too_ big.

Even _Kanou-a_ felt a little unsure if he could fight it; for he had only matured recently, and the already huge amount of power he had unleashed from his body earlier would put a heavy toll on his health and stamina. Kanou-a turned to his friends as told them of this, in dismayed tones.

This news only added more sour acridness to the four panicking throats.

Ben's mouth fell; till now, he had been confident that with Kanou-a, nothing could happen to them. But he scolded himself not remembering that Kanou-a was a living being too, who had his wear-outs and limits, and it was his own fault for thinking of Kanou-a as indestructible.

"I'm sorry, Friends," Kanou-a looked at them sadly, his long black hair whipping against his face, crossing over and under his eyes bright in agony, "I so do wish I could help you all, once again! But if I go against this creature with my full powers, I shall be fatally injured, energy-wise!"

Ben struggled against the winds and tiny storm of sand and air, to grasp Kanou-a around the shoulders, and hugged him, calling out to be heard over the loud noises around him, "Its ok, Kanou-a! We all have our weak spots! We'll think of something!" and in reply, Kanou-a wrapped his hands around Ben's waist. Ben pulled back his head, while his hands were still holding the pale shoulders, and turned his face to his remaining friends, while peering through his flying fringe of brown hair, "Guys? Any ideas?"

The girls were holding each other as the red hair and black hair fluttered wilding around their respective heads; the hem of Gwen's red tube-top fluttered, while the open flaps of Julie's white bolero whipped. The clueless females looked just as helpless, so they turned to Kevin, who remained without a partner, black hair swivelling up and around, clothes battering against his rock-solid muscles, his jaws clenching his teeth in anxiety:

Iif _Kanou-a_ can't do it, then how were they to stop a huge Cublor like that?! Even _Ben_ as _Waybig_ would be exhausted at some point!

"Maybe we should have taken Veremnos' help!" Ben sighed. This made Kanou-a even more guilty; already, he could not help his hopeful friends, and on the top of it, he had sent away the _one_ pair of aliens who may have had the way to stop the creature.

Blue eyes, briefly hidden by black silky hair, caught toxic green that looked calmly at him. Those eyes told him to stop feeling guilty. It made Kanou-a's heart race and he wanted to think out a plan to stop this mayhem and calamity.

Kanou-a sighed and closed his eyes, hugging his beloved brunette close to his chest, as the winds and streams of greyish swirls lashed brutally around them. The girls huddled to Kevin who wrapped his arms around them protectively; even though he was bad-ass, he knew when to be a protector.

The Adult Cublor swung its head and roared mightily. The ground shook harder, and winds whipped stronger.

Kanou-a prayed silently, hoping for a miracle, hoping for a thread to grasp on, hoping for a ray to shine into their troubled problem.

And it came. In the form of _thunder_.

Kanou-a suddenly heard the crackle of thunder. The others heard it too. The teens and the merman looked up to find the sky suddenly growing dark with heavy and thick clouds. Its occurrence was a little _too_ suspiciously sudden. Dark blotches of black, grey and violets littered the furthest corners of the sky, spreading fast even as they watched it.

Ben called out to Kanou-a against the ruckus of winds, "I thought what you did was just a storm's _mirage_ and was not real, Kanou-a?"

Kanou-a gaped at the sky in confusion, answering Ben with his eyes on the sky, "But it _was _a mirage that I did!"

"Then what are you doing _now?_" Ben asked, pointedly gazing at the swiftly growing storm-clouds, puffy and black like mushrooms of dark smoke.

"I'm not doing _anything!_" Kanou-a answered.

In reply, the four teens whipped their heads to him stupidly, their eyes wide as saucers. Kanou-a turned to them and blinked. They kept looking at each other in bafflement, until Ben spat in confusion, "Then _who's_ doing that?!"

Wind, thunder, storming clouds.

White-gold lightning shot from the sky all of a sudden, hitting the red Cublor squarely on the head which wasn't very much hurt though. The boom and crack made the five hearts scream in drums of terror. The teens could barely hear anything, but suddenly, Kanou-a's mouth fell open.

He sensed it; he could tell that energy wave from _anywhere_.

Gwen frowned as she felt an oncoming bout of mingled energy waves, _so_ powerful it scared her a bit.

"It...it can't be! Goodness! Ofcourse!" Kanou-a gasped, clutching harder on to Ben, who turned to him, narrowing his eyes to protect his eyeballs from the small shower of ocean water that sprayed from the body of the Cublor. "What's wrong, Ka-"

_"BROTHER KANOU-A!"_

Three male voices shouted loud from the sky.

The three voices were overlapped, but when carefully analysed, the teens realised that one was deep and wise, one sharp and spicy, and third calm and stoic.

Kanou-a went pale, his hair whipping across his face.

Kevin called out, "Was it just me or did I hear the word _'brother'_?" he turned to the frozen merman who stared at the sky in more terror than that the teens felt he should be showing. Somehow, from Ben's close vision, Kanou-a looked as frightened as a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Oh dear; we're saved!..." Kanou-a smiled, but even that smile had a twinge of nervousness in it.

Julie let out a shriek of surprise; the four turned to see her gape at the sky, pointing a wild forefinger at what she saw, "LOOK! LOOK, WOW, JUST LOOK!"

And they looked. And they gaped, joining Julie.

Three figures floated in the sky.

One figure several metres _above_ the Cublor's massive head, one to the Cublor's _left_, other to the Cublor's _right_.

All three were mermen.

"Oh my _fucking_ God!" Ben's mouth fell open, his face turning red as did his eyes sparkle, "Are those...your _bros_, Kanou-a?!" Ben's cheeks went ablaze, watching the three grave but extremely beautiful mermen qhom he had only heard of but never thought he would see. The girls blushed terribly as they gasped at the three figures, breathtaking and handsome. Kevin raised an eyebrow in self-stupefaction, even _he_ was feeling a little..._excited_.

Kanou-a was the only one to look a little ashen as he tried to smile but failed pathetically, "Y-yes, they are my brothers! Oh we are saved!"

_And I am doomed._

Kaprosca was the one floating above the Cublor, his long black hair billowing around him like a cape, yellow eyes piercing and glowing like a cat's would, and face so densely furious that he gave a solid meaning to the phrase 'looks could kill'. His abs rippled in anger, the several precious gems around his neck caught every bit of sunlight it could to shine bright and beautiful. Large golden fins were standing up, while long-nailed fingers were gleaming as he gripped at the flashing Scythe he held in one hand. He was the one creating the darkened sky out of his fury, and the lighting was but a sign of his anger. His golden tail shone like polished gold covered by a cocoon of spinning water, while the pale skin of his upper body was glistening like marble. A coral princely crown of white, orange and yellow adorned his head.

Koniel was to the Cublor's right, (teens' left) his long tail of plaited black hair snaking around in the air like a python, long twin fringes on either sides of his face swung in the winds. His blood-red irises flashed in burning fury, his jaws clenched, lips tight in a line, long red fins spiked alert. His angered hand clutched tight a huge Spear whose blade resembled the head of a flame of fire, while other hand was aflame in smouldering fire. His long tapering crimson tail was shining in the sunset, with a cocoon of spinning water. He had a coral crown too, of orange, red and maroon, glowing in the sunlight.

Ke-inno was to the Cublor's left (teens' right) with his slightly curling hair bannering around him, his silver eyes were half-lidded like always but they had a greyish cold glare in them, he didn't look pleased at all. The skin of his upper body was almost as pale as his brothers' and was nearly pearly white. He held a long pitchfork, it's blades curled like a ram's horns, sparkling bluish-grey. Silvery grey fins stood up, while long beautiful tail of silver-white remained still as his brothers, with the cocoon of water spinning as obvious as it was. A coral crown of grey, silver and blue adorned atop his pretty swivelling hair.

All three eyes; angered golden, furious crimson, displeased silver; three focused on only ONE pair of wide indigo blue eyes.

"Brother Kanou-a!" Kaprosca's voice shot through the air like thunder itself, surprising the teens who jumped. Kanou-a gripped Ben a little tighter as he listened to his big brother who thundered from up above, several feet away, "Turn the humans around! I want NO witnesses to our powers! TURN THEM AROUND, _NOW!"_

Kanou-a nodded wildly from his spot on the shore since Kaprosca could see him nod, although he may appear very small in his vision. Kanou-a turned to the shocked and petrified teens, while the fear and anxiety was evident in the blue of his eyes, "Friends, please, turn around, do not face brothers as they fight; our ancestry and our methods of weaving magic are to be kept a secret to ourselves!"

He didn't wait for them to respond; he couldn't, not when his elder brother was angry and impatient. Kanou-a let loose one hand from Ben's waist and reached it out to his frozen friends. Blurs of water sprouted out of his fingers and twirled around the teenagers, turning their backs to the Ocean. He moved himself and Ben towards the other three, till they huddled in one crouching group, backs facing the horizon, eyes staring at the sand-covered ground. Kanou-a was at the back of this group, the one who's back immediately faced the horizon, making sure the teens remained turned away. He held out his hands around the group in precaution, to keep them protected from the magic, energy waves, splicing winds, flames and lighting that was to soon shower as the brothers fought the huge Cublor.

Kanou-a winced in worry, and decided to up-the-ante by making a bubble of water to enclose the huddled group, protecting them and himself from the onslaughts going on.

Ben, Kevin, Gwen and Julie gasped, as they gazed at the sand at their feet, their minds tried to imagine the scene going on behind their backs, connecting it to the horrible sounds they heard; wrathful shouts and terrifying war cries of the three brothers, the pained roaring of the Cublor being pummelled, the sparks and flashes of lighting, the burnings hisses of hot fire, the grinding and screeching of the tornadoes.

After about several minutes of painful stillness of wincing and shuddering, the teens felt Kanou-a tense behind them.

And then, a voice floated from _just_ behind them; it was beautiful but cold, amidst the ruckus and noises of the fighting brothers.

"Brother Kanou-a," said the voice, at which the teens and the said mermen turned around to face the horizon again, only to see Ke-inno standing _right_ in front of them.

_Damn. He's gorgeous!_ was what each of the four teens thought simultaneously.

The merman had a very calm countenance, yet he looked rather pissed. From close quarters, Gwen could feel the strong waves of magic off of him, and they were more powerful that Kanou-a's. A cocoon of water swung around and around his tail, like the other brothers.

Ke-inno had his eyes fixed on his little brother, as if the rest of the teens were invisible, "Take your friends under the Ocean; the fight will require more effort and the shore remains a fatal vulnerable point to be on. But do make sure that _while_ you take them underwater deep enough to be safe, they are _no_ where near our kingdom."

Kanou-a nodded stiffly, his voice raspy and full of respect, "Yes, Brother Ke-inno!"

The merman nodded too, and turned, swinging off to the sky again, releasing a gush of wind that blew across the five's faces.

Kanou-a turned to his friends and tried to smile, "We must go under, now!" and in reply it was only Ben who nodded. But the other three froze in their spots. Kevin snapped out at the merman and his brunette lover, "Uh, _hello_, guys?! We can't _breathe_ under the water! How are we supposed to?!" he gestured to himself and the stunned girls who were too tongue-tied to say anything.

Ben blinked at Kevin. Kanou-a gasped and sighed, "Oh, dear lord, of course!"

Kanou-a leaned out to the girls and spoke in a hurry, "Please! Come here, I can put a spell on you that lets you breathe under water!" and hearing the anxiety in his voice, the girls nodded and stepped closer. Kanou-a put out his hands; he traced a pentacle-in-a-circle symbol of both the girls' clavicles at the same time, using one hand for each girl. Gwen and Julie gasped as they felt the warm tingle grow up their bodies and then felt nothing. They looked down at themselves, touched at their necks, and glanced at each other; Gwen saw the symbol glow on Julie, and Julie saw the one on Gwen.

Kanou-a moved back and flashed them a quick smile, before hurriedly turning to Kevin.

The raven in question stepped back in response, and mumbled, "Uh, ..."

He was not comfortable with a spell being put on him, but seeing Kanou-a look so desperate, he bit his lip and moved forward the one step he had withdrawn. Kanou-a reached out and pressed his finger below Kevin's clavicles, inwardly marvelling how similar it felt to his own skin. Kevin held his breath, glaring at the nearly nose-to-nose proximity between him and his 'rival' as the latter traced the symbol quickly on the former's skin. Kevin shuddered as the warm tingle swept up and down in body, and the feeling left as quickly as it had come.

Kanou-a moved back, and Kevin touched at his neck.

"Ok guys, let's go!" Ben called out to them, as he ran out to the waves following Kanou-a who was already up to his waist in the water. The merman was gesturing for the teens to hurry. The girls ran together, while Kevin, who always had to hesitate about weird things he had to do, was just behind them. All four of them and the merman dunked under the raged water.

Since the red Cublor was several meters away from the shore, it was safe for them to swim under. But the deeper they went, the more safe they were from the debris and power attacks of the brothers that may have missed the creature.

Under the water, they swam really fast. At first, the three humans held their breaths in their puffed mouth, since they were new to the concept of breathing freely under the water. Their eyes widened in awe when they saw Ben and Kanou-a swim, _talking_ to each other as casually as if from air.

"Kanou-a, why'd your bros want us to not look at them as they fight? I would have loved to see them in action; they look so regal and majestic!"

"Dear Kirby, I am so sorry, but they don't want humans to know of their spells and their methods of using magic!"

"But we already saw _you_ in your fully-magical form when you took down Veremnos, right?"

"Yes, but I had not been using skilled magical spells and such, for I am only newly matured, while my brothers are all experienced; Brother Ke-inno who is my immediate elder brother is _himself_ a year older and wiser. They know several other forms of magic which they will soon teach me in the future."

"Oh, ok...," Ben nodded understandingly. He looked over his shoulder, to see triple sets of wide eyes and three puffed cheeks laboriously filled with precious oxygen.

Ben smiled out to them and spoke, "Hey,... 's okay guys, you can breathe now! Try it!"

Kevin pouted as he slowly let go of his mouth's hold of bubbles, and watched the escaped clump of air furiously rush upwards. His mind raced in alarm as his mouth felt nearly empty, and then waited for the choke of breathlessness, the helpless strangle of dark water, but nothing happened. He dared to take a small sniff, and the water was not even... _watery_.

He could breathe!

As shocked as he was with this new feeling being completely inhuman and foreign, he turned to see the girls hanging in the dark water, in a similar state of shock, mouths open, and faces bright. Soft black hair and red hair billowed in the water like silk around their respective heads.

Kevin called out, "Ben! There's gonna be no_ side effects_, right? No gills or flippers popping out by mistake at night, or something?"

Ben rolled his eyes, "Wisely chosen first-words."

The girls giggled, and then froze at what they had just managed to do underwater, and then giggled some more in the excitement of it.

Kanou-a smiled, his sharp mind noting that Kevin's first word spoken underwater was 'Ben'.

A sudden wave and heavy movement in the water shook them all, and their faces turned up. The current situation and the threat was back in their attention, making the merman gasp, "Quick! We must dive deeper! I shall lead you all, hold on!"

That was all he said. Next thing the teens knew, cold coils of water (controlled by Kanou-a) were winding around their waists, and they were whizzing through the cool water as Kanou-a raced, as fast as a shark, downwards the Ocean's deeper labyrinths. Ben was riding his back, arms around the strong neck, legs tight around the strong hips.

o.o.o

Kanou-a swam pacing forward and back, and the teens sat at the rocky formation on the Ocean floor.

Gwen and Julie were chatting to each other of how weird but wonderful it was to be able to talk, breathe and swim at the same time. Kevin sat at the same rocky formation, with his hands folded across his chest, wondering how his life had gotten so flipped out. Ben sat beside him, anxiously watching his pacing lover who looked very much worried.

Almost suddenly, Kanou-a and Gwen looked up. They had felt approaching energy waves; three distinct sets of sparkling warm energy.

Gwen and Julie got up from the rocky formation and floated lower to where Kanou-a was pacing around. Kevin and Ben joined them. Kanou-a's jaws clenched as three silhouettes appeared in the waters, approaching them like sharks.

Ben comically imagined the 'duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh...' play in his head.

Kaprosca, Koniel and Ke-inno finally were floating right in front of them. The three brothers looked calmer than before, but the fire of irritation hadn't died from either set of eyes, especially from the eldest brother. The three mermen no longer had their weapons, or their princely crowns, and their fins had shrunk to the normal sizes. But they were still breathtakingly beautiful.

Kanou-a was the one to face them foremost. To his side stood Ben, and the other three were to the other side, a little back, deciding to be spectators but significant as well.

Golden eyes flashed as his smooth voice floated in the water darkly, "Little brother Kanou-a," [Kevin raised an eyebrow at the word 'little'] and Kaprosca's nostril flared in restrained anger, "I had accepted you, your preferences, your scandalous love, -" the eyes swung to glare at Ben, who nearly squeaked as he half-hid behind Kanou-a's shoulder, staring back with nervous green eyes, and the eldest merman continued, "and your odd choices of 'friends' as you say," the three faces swung to the remaining teens, first seeing Julie who gulped and bowed, then Gwen who was wise enough to also bow and speak, "G-greetings, Your Highnesses."

Three sets of eyebrows shot up in dull surprise, and they nodded in acknowledgement of Gwen and Julie's gesture of respect, which they hadn't expected from the humans.

"They are not completely human, are they? This red-haired female, especially?" Koniel eyed the girls with a pair of narrowed crimson irises.

Kanou-a nodded , "They are, as they call it, 'hybrids'."

And then the three faces glanced at Kevin and nonchalantly turned to Kanou-a, only to zip back to Kevin in silent shock of realisation. Kevin found himself feeling hot around the neck as three, cold, blunt glares of disbelief pierced him in right in the face.

"Uh," Kevin managed to speak, shrugging, "Ssup?"

In reply, the mermen looked at him as if he had grown a ten-headed serpent on his nose. Ben nearly choked, Kanou-a looked frozen, and Gwen elbowed Kevin's ribs from her side. Julie gave a silent sigh of defeat.

Kaprosca hissed at Kanou-a, though his eyes refused to leave Kevin's face, "Who is this _imposter?!_"

Kanou-a defended Kevin vehemently, putting out a hand to Kevin's side as if to protect him from any sudden punches the three mermen might swing at him, "N-no, brothers, he is _no_ imposter! He is my friend, and our uncanny resemblance is but a play of Fate! In fact, our resemblance makes our friendship deeper than it appears, on several levels."

Kevin glared at Kanou-a, and whispered, "Dude, that's just _gay!_" at which Gwen elbowed him in the ribs again and that made him shut up instantly. Kanou-a had not left the eyes of his brother's who gazed back solemnly.

Kaprosca narrowed his golden eyes on Kevin again, "Kanou-a, why does he radiate of your energy?"

"He was on the point of near-death in a particular situation, so I had revived and healed him using my powers." Kanou-a kept his eyes low and respectful.

Three sets of eyes looked at each other.

"Coming to the important matter at hand," Kaprosca's lips tightened, a vein seemed to throb on the perfect skin of his forehead, swept by soft silky black hair, "We trusted you to keep your human acquaintances away from _our_ kingdom, and _our_ kingdom away from _them!_ And yet, _what is all this, Brother?!_ What is all this _catastrophic disturbance_ commencing since the day you came to us fully matured from a _human,_ of all things?!"

Koniel was not happy either, "That creature whom we fought and successfully defeated,... it was _reeking_ of evil, with absolutely _no_ aura of life, yet moves as if in false energy! Creatures like that are _not_ made by Nature, _nor_ are they meant to be living! Who had so _proudly_ created a creature like that?! Why had it been planted in the ocean?! _Why did it seem to attract to us as if wanting to ensnare only us?!"_

Ke-inno added calmly, "I had sensed a bland cloud of aura hang above the ocean, several days ago from now. I had been puzzled and displeased of it. I _even_ went to the lengths of swimming to the surface, and saw nothing in the sky, yet felt its presence, heavy and dull in the air above. And now I see it has disappeared, yet suddenly, there happens a bout of powerful energy from a mass of flesh in the water growing at the alarming pace that creatures usually _never_ manage! What was that deadly creature?!"

Kanou-a looked at them, appalled and tongue-tied. His face was nearly pink in nervousness.

"Little Brother," Kaprosca growled darkly, golden flashing again, as his nostrils flared, "You had promised to keep humans away. And now, our kingdom was nearly attacked by an unknown creature, which nearly _killed_ you! I had warned you that your affair with the human must _not_ interfere with the peace and harmony of our lives, our kingdom, one which _you_ will soon be _ruling_ a part of! And yet _here_ you are, shamefully standing amidst the _pathetic_ humans, bringing trouble to our lives where there was never one _so_ terrible as that horrible creature! _Kanou-a, this has gone far too long!_ _WE HAVE BEEN FAR TOO LENIENT WITH YOU!"_ his temper climbed drastically, as was evident in his hands that shook at his sides, fisted and sparking in yellows bursts, while the citrus-yellow eyes were widened in anger.

The teens had jumped and felt their blood run cold, for the brother looked mad to a point of frying Kanou-a's skin _right_ off his flesh. Kanou-a moved back, gulping. So _this_ was why he had been scared. Now the teens understood too.

Kaprosca was nearly panting in fury, but Ke-inno's hand glowed as he spoke solemnly, "Brother Kaprosca, we must speak to Little Brother than take actions against him, at least, till he clears his part."

The First Prince of the Ocean silenced himself, taking a deep breath, his jaws clenching afterwards. He remained glaring at his youngest sibling, and let the second do the talking now. Taking cue, Koniel frowned, his crimson eyes fixated on terrified blue, "Love is inevitable. I, of all, know that very thoroughly. But this has gone too far, Kanou-a! Your attachment with the humans puts _both_ kingdoms in danger, but _especially _our's, since you know how dominating the humans are. We have _no_ love for humans, but it is because we love _you_ that we restrain from obliterating the humans you have been touched by!" his face scowled angrily, a vein was pulsing on his forehead too, "Kanou-a, this really has gone far too long! Putting the kingdom in jeopardy will _not_ sit well with us! _Pathetic_ humans, always causing trouble wherever they set their two-legged selves on! Such _cursed_ creatures! Disrupting all peace that prevails over Nature!" Koniel was now starting to rupture like his older brother and once again, Ke-inno's hand calmly glowed at his side.

"Brother Koniel, please, do not let the wrath rule you, let us ask Kanou-a what his side of the argument is." And in motion of his words, the silver eyes coldly settled on Kanou-a's shaken face.

The gold and red eyes followed.

"Tell us, Brother Kanou-a," Ke-inno asked solemnly, "What was that creature we fought?"

The teens, who had shrunk back slowly, wondered how Kanou-a was going to answer them.

Kanou-a bit his lip as he kept his head low, and eyes on the fins of gold before him, "... Th-the creature had been synthetically created by an evil pair of beings who wished to... to ..."

"To?" Ke-inno asked coldly. Even though he was not as stirred-up as the other two brothers, his voice chilly enough to make the hearer feel terrified; he was like cold fire.

"They had initially wanted to capture my friends, but when they knew of my existence and my powers, they created the creature to scoop all merpeople and use them as energy sources."

Three pairs of furious eyes widened in horror.

_"WHAT?!"_ the three brothers gasped together.

"Uh oh," Ben mumbled to himself.

Kaprosca's and Koniel's chests heaved in utter fury, as their fists curled and their eyes swung to the frozen humans. "_Energy sources?!_ _How dare those beings...!"_ Koniel hissed in disbelief, eyes wide in anger. Kaprosca shook like a volcano about to erupt.

"THESE HUMANS HAVE ENDANGERED THE _WHOLE_ KINGDOM _JUST_ BECAUSE THEY _HAPPEN_ TO _KNOW_ YOU?!" Kaprosca thundered, pointing wildly at the four behind Kanou-a. Kanou-a winced, hunching a little in the decibels hitting his ears in great pain. The teens shrank back, and Ben hid completely behind Kanou-a's brawny form.

Koniel, spat angrily, "_ENERGY SOURCES?!_ IT IS OF _NO_ LIVING THING'S RIGHT TO CALL _ANOTHER_ AS AN _ENERGY SOURCE_ UNLESS NATURE WILLS IT! AND YET?! HOW _DARE_ THEY!"

Ke-inno shook his head solemnly, while calm anger swirled in his eyes, "What a shame; the utter insult and terrible conception of utilising living beings!"

Kanou-a winced more, biting his lips hard from shouting back, for that was the last thing he wanted to do, disrespect his brothers.

Ke-inno hissed icily, "You should be glad Father is not in the kingdom at the moment! He has been asked to attend a festival for another kingdom and has been away since today morning! Had he known of this, he would not have left the human race _alive!"_ the cold grey orbs moved to bestow a look of indifference on Ben who had been peering over Kanou-a's shoulder in fear.

Kanou-a spoke up for the first time since the outburst, "But brothers! We _defeated_ them! My human friends are not just _any_ humans! They are _heroes!"_ he gestured to them, "_This_ human knows of great reflexes and has a pet who can transform in to weapons! _This_ female is an energy being, not unlike us! _This_ human is what they call an Osmosian, who can adsorb materials and become very strong! And then there's _Kirby!"_ Kanou-a looked over his shoulder, his voice softening, and then looked back at his brothers, feeling a little proud of his lover, "My Kirby is the _hero_ of the human world. He _protects_ the land kingdom from the other worlds that co-exists but attack the Earth for profit! Kirby is the _protector_ of the land kingdom, just like Father is of _our!_ These humans, who stand behind me, are not ordinary; they are _special_, and they are my friends! Just because _most_ of the humans are ill-minded, _doesn't_ mean they _all_ are! Brother Irides was a Dark, yet was _he_ ever an evil person? He just happened to have been a good person born in the wrong place! These humans are good, too! They are not troublesome and evil, but are loving friends I have made! Besides, we already defeated the two evil beings who wanted to ensnare us, and they had surrendered to us, and promised to be on the path of good from now on! Isn't that an achievement, to show a wronged soul the right way? Isn't what I did, a _right_ thing?!" Kanou-a looked from brother-to-brother, desperate to make his part justified.

"Yes, it was a right thing. And I acknowledge and applaud you for it. And I am proud of you," Kaprosca nodding slowly, "But that does not change the fact that your acquaintance with the humans _nearly_ had our kingdom in danger! Also let me ask you, was it _you _or your _heroic_ _lover,_ who saved you from the creature from a few seconds ago?!"

Kanou-a opened his mouth to retaliate, but then hung his head seeing he had no viable argument to that question.

Koniel shook his head sagely, "You simply _cannot_ be with a human without creating problems, Kanou-a! Humans attract problems as do preys attract their predators! But they have their _own_ ways of fighting their enemies, and of winning too, because they have no trouble with violence. But that will not be the same for us! We have _lived_ and been _taught_ to live in peace and purity of the mind! The creature we fought today _alone_ stains our hands with blotches of violence we do not like to yield to!"

Kaprosca was feeling calmer from Ke-inno's effect on the water, hence he didn't add a comment.

So Koniel chose to continue to speak in smooth but serious tones, "That is it. We have no choice but to limit you, Kanou-a. We cannot let you swim about and bring _catastrophes_ upon our heads. As the future rulers, we cannot risk the fate of an _entire_ kingdom for the sake of _one_ being."

Kanou-a's head snapped up, blue eyes flashing like headlights, "W-what do you mean?! Am I to be punished? Am I forbidden to be with Kirby?!"

The three brothers looked coldly at him. Their faces were now calm, and that actually looked a whole lot more fiercely deadly than when they were angry.

Ben gripped Kanou-a's bicep in anxiety. Kevin, Gwen and Julie glanced at each other, and then at the mermen.

"You are not being punished, Little Brother," Kaprosca spoke in his deep voice, "But we merely cannot last on your promises; so we need you take a solid decision, NOW."

"D-decision?" Kanou-a stammered, eyes zipping between gold, silver and ruby.

"Yes," Koniel answered, "You have but _two_ options, and you will chose one, NOW. There will be no procrastination on this; you will not leave our sight till you chose one."

The teens blinked. Kanou-a blinked too. His hunched body straightened as he nodded politely, "Yes, I shall choose. Please do give me my choices."

The Lightning Prince turned his head a little and glanced at the wide-eyed teens who stood behind Kanou-a. Once feeling those fiery yellow eyes drilling into their defences, they all scattered their attentions to their shoes and surroundings. Kanou-a followed Kaprosca's line of vision, and then looked back at the brother. Kaprosca and Kanou-a looked at each other for a few moments, a silent order had been conveyed from the elder brother to the younger brother, just by merely gazing at each other's eyes.

Kanou-a nodded, and then turned to his three human-hybrid friends, "Friends, could you please excuse us? Brothers wish to discuss this privately."

The teens seemed a little taken aback; Gwen and Julie looked a little insulted, and Kevin looked indignant. As much as Kanou-a also felt this was really insulting to them to be asked to not involve in the decision-making, Kanou-a could do nothing. He made sure his friends understood his vulnerable position; blue eyes looking at them were helpless since he could not disobey his elder brother's whims. Somehow, they seemed to have caught Kanou-a's apologetic look, and also seemed to acknowledge it.

Ben looked at his friends, and then at the eldest prince. As if Ben's glance had been spotted, the golden eyes immediately swung to pin on Ben's shocked green saucers, and the deep voice spoke, "However, _you_ shall remain here, Kanou-a's lover."

Ben's lips opened but no sound came, and he managed to nod stiffly.

Pairs of golden, silver, crimson, indigo and emerald eyes focused to the three teens again, putting them in the limelight.

Kevin, Gwen and Julie glanced at each other unsurely; until Julie, always the one to readily accept peaceful measures, bowed in her traditional Japanese manner at the mermen brothers, and swam back a small distance. The red-head also bowed as she too swam back to Julie, while Kevin didn't bow but nodded as he moved backwards to the girls, without leaving the sight of the brothers from his vision.

Now, the three were a little away, their ears were straining to hear in the excitement of what the two choices Kanou-a was going to be given. Since the trio had lingered just within the earshot, they could hear what was being spoken by the four mermen and Ben.

Sun-yellow and blood-red moved sideways to Ke-inno, who nodded at his older brothers and fixed his eyes on Kanou-a, to speak in majestic smooth tones, "Your decision shall be to choose only ONE of the two paths given to you. _One_; forget the human. Never think of him again; you may even put a spell on yourself and your lover to forget each other; let the merman's and the human's lives never cross again! It is at the meeting of the two worlds, the Land and the Ocean that creates the Crash of Waves. A merman and human will _never_ be able to live together in harmony, as long as each one has an entire kingdom to protect respectively, that too, kingdoms that are nearly opposite in morals, traditions and other attributes. Each will attract their own enemies, and each one's enemies will utilise the other, as it has turned out to have actually _happened_. So, forget the human, the love, the affection."

Kanou-a froze. They _all_ froze to be accurate.

Ben bit the insides of his mouth to stop himself from gasping. But he didn't have to worry. There was _no_ way Kanou-a was going to chose that option. It was understood. Kanou-a too looked solid and unmoving, he was easily not fond of approving of this option. But what was the second option?

"Two; convert the human into a merman. Let him live with you, for the rest of your life, and be in your presence, enjoy your love, and live in peace much better and beautiful than that ever to be possible in the human's world. But the human, once a merman, must _never_ return to his human world. He will stay here, forever. This way, he becomes a part of us, and is no more linked to the humans, and the cross of the two kingdoms does not occur."

Kanou-a's eyes widened in indecision.

Ben blinked, his cheeks blazing red a little. Even the mermen brothers found that actually adorable, though none of them voiced it.

Ben was shrieking on the inside. A lifetime with Kanou-a?! Just him and Kanou-a, floating through the waters! Ben, swimming with a beautiful green tail, flipping up in the water! Bliss, love, harmony... it sounded perfect! Just him, Kanou-a and their love!

Ben's face lit up in a smile. He knew which to choose! _Kanou-a, chose 'two'! Please! Chose 'two!'_

Kanou-a gazed wide-eyed at the three brotherly faces staring back at him with half-lidded eyes, waiting for his decision. Kanou-a slowly turned his head, to look over his shoulder at his beloved, and Ben zoomed out of his hiding from behind him. He caught Kanou-a's shoulders and grinned widely at him, his eyes spoke although he didn't say a single word, and Kanou-a could easily read them off of the green eyes, _Tell them, Kanou-a! Tell them to convert me! Please! I wanna be a merman! I do! We will be so happy together! Please! Anything to be with you! Yes! Answer them, it's an easy question! The answer is so obvious, right?!_

Kanou-a slowly smiled, his face lighting up. The answer...yes, it was simple.

He slowly wound his arms around Ben and held him close, and Ben looked up at him with shiny eyes sparkling like emeralds.

"Ke-inno, why are these humans still here?!" Kaprosca snarled, glancing at the three human teenagers who now seemed alarmed and hesitating on the point of interfering. The eldest brother Kaprosca pressed a hand to his forehead, "Take them back to the surface, they have been brought here to be protected from the fight, and now that the creature is no more, it is absolutely of _no_ necessity for them, _or_ for us, to keep them here," he glanced at Kevin, still not finding it believable of a human who looked exactly like his beloved little brother.

Ke-inno bowed to his elder brother, "Yes, Brother Kaprosca."

"Wait-What?!" Kevin snapped, as swirls of water-coils surrounded him and the girls, and he blinked at the girls in surprise.

Gwen asked carefully as the coils snaked around her waist and arms, "Is- is this necessary?" her green eyes on Ke-inno, who nodded, "Brother wishes it, so it shall be."

Ke-inno swam away, and the three teens found themselves being dragged away as well. Kevin looked over his shoulder, fighting to pull free his hand that was tied up. His brown eyes caught the sight of Ben, who had not even noticed them being dragged away. Ben and Kanou-a were busy gazing at each other, smiling as if already fantasising a future together.

"Ben! BEN!" Kevin called out, but it was Kanou-a who looked, his azure eyes moved to catch Kevin's. Sadness filled the blue, and hatred filled the brown. Ben was still busy gazing at Kanou-a, drowning and losing himself in happiness of the anticipation of being with Kanou-a forever.

Kevin stopped calling out. His eyes went dull as he suddenly realised it; Ben _wanted_ to stay. There was no point in defending this, if Ben _himself_ was not willing to go against Kanou-a's obvious choice out of the two given to him.

Kevin's face hardened, as he gave a final chocolate-eyed look at Kanou-a. _Ben had us, before he had you._

Kanou-a looked back into the brown eyes beseechingly, _I'm... but I love him too much._

Kanou-a watched the three teens and his brother disappear into the darkness of the waters. He could only watch, and hold his Kirby who was still gazing at him as if lost to the world.

That was when Ben turned to look and noticed the friends being pulled away. He looked around and then saw that the two remaining mermen were glaring calmly at him. Trying to ignore the intimidating glares, Ben looked back at Kanou-a, "Where's your bro taking them?"

"The shore, so you needn't worry."

Kaprosca said, "You have until Ke-inno returns from leaving the humans on the shore, to think about your choice. Then, you must give us your verdict. Immediately."

Kanou-a nodded solemnly. He looked down at Ben and saw the blind love shining densely in the depth of the emerald jade eyes.

o.o.o

Kevin, Gwen and Julie stood on the shore staring at the leaden evening sky; drenched, cold, and dumbfounded.

"I can't believe they kicked us out of the meeting!" Julie gasped, feeling stupid and useless. She hung her pretty but dripping head.

Gwen shook her own wet red-haired head, "No, we can't really blame them. They are mermen, and to them, we will always be a trouble. Taking the decision is only for Kanou-a. Its _his_ kingdom that gets affected; think about it, I mean, if Kanou-a is found by the humans, then the same thing is gonna happen as it did when Veremnos and C-Mexx found him. But if _Ben_ was found by _them_, they'll probably just avoid him altogether. They're not going to try and over-take our human race, they're a peaceful species, right? But, the humans? Don't think so. The first chance we get, we are going to want to somehow have mermen in our _goldfish_-bowls if we all came to know about them. So, its justified why they don't want us to be a part of the decision-making."

Gwen's speech made great sense. But it also made her best friend worry.

"Are you telling me that you support that they should convert Ben into a merman?!" Julie gasped again.

"No," Gwen sighed running her manicured fingers through the clumps of copper hair, "I never said that. I only said that we should not be cussing at the merman brothers, 'cause they are rulers and royal blood, and experienced. They know what they're doing." After a pause, she added cheerfully, "And besides, why do we have to worry?! Ben is not going to agree with being a merman for the rest of his life! He can't just blindly forget us, right?"

"Wrong."

Kevin was the one who had spoken, it made the girls turn to him.

He spoke darkly as he stared out at the horizon extending before him, breeze cooling the layer of wetness on his skin, but it did nothing to calm his wailing nerves as he hissed calmly, "You're _wrong_, Gwen. Ben _can_ forget us."

"Huh?!" Gwen asked softly, looking shocked and lost. Julie blinked sadly. The girls glanced at each other in surprise, and then looked at the male.

"Don't you get it, Gwen?!" Kevin snapped angrily, his fists shook from his sides, his eyes narrowed on her, "It's a life of peace and happiness with his lover, against a life of tiring heroism with us! What do you think he's gonna chose?!" he grit his teeth, "He didn't even _notice_ us being pulled away until the last moment, 'cause he was _already_ busy _dreaming_ of the future! He's head-over-heels in love with that merman, and _nothing_ is going to make him want to not live with him! The choice is too obvious!"

"No!" Gwen defied him desperately, as she glared at Kevin in the eyes, "You can't say that! Ben can't forget us! We have been with him _all_ our lives! He can't forget his family and frrineds! Or duty, his obligation! Do you think he can forget being the hero, having the Omnitrix, saving the Universe?! No, he won't give all that up!"

"HE WILL!" Kevin snapped back, clawing at the air as he hissed at her loudly, "Ben _will_ forget all that! That idiot goes blind whenever he is with something he truly desires! _You're_ his cousin, _you _should know that, better than me! He's deeply in love with that fucking tailed asshole, and _no_ way he's gonna give HIM up! Do you think we even _stand_ a chance?! You think he will give up the _true_ _love_ of his life, for saving the _butt_ of a Universe thats not even _thankful_ to him?! Or for a bunch of blood relatives, or childhood buddies?! We don't stand a chance against that merman, Gwen! With that guy, Ben doesn't _need_ us! He is not going to give up the merman for us, 'cause _nothing_ matters more to him than the merman; not the world, not the humans, not his parents, not his Grandpa, not his Grandma, not his friends, not his cousin, his ex-girlfriend, not..." his voice went thick in emotion, ",...not his _best friend_."

He bit his lips, feeling the now familiar crescent burn in his eyes as he growled, "... Ben means a lot to _us_. To _me_. But that doesn't mean we mean _enough_ for him to give up a lifetime of happiness with his lover, just for us. When I was in that worm's stomach, the fish-man told me that I meant a lot to Ben. But even if the whole world loves Ben, does Ben value us all, the way he values that merman?"

Gwen and Julie gaped, struck with the dreadful realisation that Kevin had poured into their ears.

"Ben is as good as _lost _to us, girls. It's obvious. Right now, they're probably doing the incantation crap to make him into a fish! This time next week, we will be seeing a Ben-fish _flipping_ against the sun like a _fucking _dolphin, _cooing_ and _kissing_ his boyfriend and _flapping_ his hands like a seal and... and..." his emotions clogged his sharp sarcastic mind, he couldn't form any more worse exaggerated interpretations of the merpeople as he choked on his feelings.

He grit his teeth so bad, he nearly powered his enamels.

He turned around, walking away slowly. Gwen gasped, "Wait, where're you going?!"

"Home. I'm gonna go sleep. I'm sick of this. It's all over. Ben's gone forever. I dunno what to tell Max when we get back. I might have to dive back down under the Ocean to get the Omnitrix from Ben, or maybe he's gonna throw it to me in a _glass bottle."_ He scoffed bluntly, walking away.

Gwen looked grieved as she watched him, his back a little hunched, it was a sad and dejecting sight.

It all _did_ make sense actually; Ben couldn't be able to give up his love for a life that was not even kind to him. Gwen now wished she had loved Ben more as a sister, and then maybe they might have had a chance. Julie sighed if only she had somehow managed to be a big part of Ben's life too, enough to topple the balance and let the ball fall in their court. But there was no saying anything now.

"Wait, Kevin, maybe there's gotta be..."

"_Nothing_; there's _nothing_ we can do!" Kevin snapped, pausing his walk, with his back to the girls. His fists shook again, "He's gone! GONE!"

"Woah..." Julie's gasp flit through the air. Gwen shook her head and added, "Yeah, Jules, it amazing how _cowardly Kevin is being right now!_" her voice sharpening and becoming louder at the last bits of her sentence, just so Kevin could hear her.

Kevin kept his back to the girls, but refused to keep walking. Gwen continued to glare at his back, waiting for the unleashing of retaliation.

But Julie's gasp sounded again, "Woah...guys...guyss!" but Gwen kept staring at the back of Kevin's head.

"Guys! LOOK!" came Julie's excited squeak.

At this, Gwen and Kevin turned on their heels, and saw Julie point wildly at the Ocean like a kid at a funfair.

Gwen ran to her best friend's side and peered at what the Japanese American's sharp eyes had caught. And then, she too gasped.

Kevin stepped a little forward, blinking. Then, although he didn't gasp, he was close to exclaiming a 'huh?' in surprise.

Something was rising out of the water. A Cublor? A Syntheton? A Metron? No. Its can't be any of those.

The shadow looming under the surface started to form a defined shape as it lifted out of the water. And then a small black mound appeared, to reveal a wet human head, with long black silky hair; more features visible as the person _walked _up the surface of the water as if walking on steps. Strong shoulders came into view, marble-pale skin glistening in the slick layer of ocean-water that dribbled off it, while sparkling gems strung around the strong column of neck shone in the evening light. Long fins of blue and white at his shoulder were now long like a cape, its hem licking him till his ankles, like the wings of a cricket. Fins adorned the hips, and arms too.

Obviously, it was Kanou-a. And he had legs. That was not new. But there was something _else_ that was new; around his head, a glowing halo shone with small and tiny sparkles glowing and blinking nonstop, making him look like a God, and that same crown of blue and white coral adorned upon the wet black hair. Also, his long legs were bare and visible, his 'private' organ hidden only by strips of moss wound around his hips, like a miniskirt with torn clinging edges, so in general, save the moss, he was naked. Pale legs, thigh and calf muscles rippling as _he walked on the surface of water_, approaching the teens.

But what baffled the teens the most, was the body that Kanou-a held in his arms like a bride.

Ben.

Yes, Ben lay in his arms, asleep with a peaceful smile on his face of his head fallen a little back, and his arms crossed at his stomach, legs dangling in rhythm to Kanou-a's calm steps nearly humane as if experienced. Kanou-a held Ben carefully but lovingly; pale hands frailly carrying the brunette as he walked to the teens, but particularly, his eyes were wrought on Kevin's.

Kevin himself was speechless and utterly confused. _What was the guys doing up here? With legs? It was Ben who was supposed to be with a tail, right? What's happening?_

Kanou-a stood at the shore, feet sinking in the soft sand and it was his first time feeling the sand on his toes, but rather than marvel the feeling with curiosity, he kept his eyes on the three teens.

The girls looked at him in confusion. Kevin stared at him in surprise mingled with indefinite amounts of hatred.

"What'dyou want?" Kevin snapped darkly, fingers tightened in his fists, "You come to laugh at us as you make Ben say goodbye?!"

Kanou-a was not even smiling to that insult, as he usually does. Instead, he gave Kevin a sad but calm look, a single look that suddenly made Kevin feel dull and guilty. Then, his mind snapped at him with the question of why _he_ must feel guilty when he had done nothing wrong here.

Kevin stared back angrily at the merman, waiting for a proper answer to the question he had flung at him. The girls stared too, biting their lips, wringing their hands in confusion.

"I come not to laugh at you. But yes, Kirby will say his goodbye." Kanou-a wasn't even blinking.

The girls gasped softly, feeling horrible. So, Ben was here to say goodbye?! Then, why was he knocked out? Or asleep?

Kanou-a stepped forward again, his eyes locked with Kevin's. He walked to his look-alike, while Kevin stood his ground although his heart was raging in his ribcage like a rabid bird wanting out, out, out.

Kanou-a finally stood right in front of him, holding Ben like a bride. Fiery mahogany smouldered on cool light-sapphire. Then, slowly, Kanou-a smiled, lips stretching only a little, it was a small smile... of sadness.

"Kirby has come to say goodbye. Not to you. But to _me_."

_WHAT?!_

Kevin's eyebrows furrowed in reply, while the girls had their jaws fall in surprise.

_What'd he mean by that?_

"Here," Kanou-a whispered, looking down at his charming slumbering angel, moving his cradled hands forward, a gesture of offering the brunette to the raven twin, "I come to return to you what is truly your's."

_WHAT?!_

"Hu-huh..?" Kevin stammered, his previously frowning face relaxed suddenly, to make way for an expression of utter bewilderment. Kanou-a moved the brunette closer to the other raven, and by reflex, Kevin's hands extended and let the brunette's lithe body be placed onto his strong arms. Kevin felt his sense tingle as he felt the nearly weightless body rest peacefully in his arms.

Slowly, he looked up from Ben to the merman standing right in front of him. The small smile of sadness remained on the beautiful face.

"Whu-wha?" Kevin stammered, lost and speechless.

Kanou-a smiled a little more this time, "I have decided to hand Kirby to you, and the humans, where he truly belongs."

"Y-you're _giving him up?!_"

Kanou-a lowered his head a little, wet locks framing his face. He looked up again as attempted to sound cheery where he was obviously hurting, "Kirby belongs _here_, with his family, his friends, his people. It was Kirby himself who had wisely told me that sometimes, responsibility comes before love. I cannot be selfish as to covet Kirby as my own, and take him away from the numerous people who love him unconditionally and who need his protection. Yes, I love Kirby more than my life; but I had no other choice."

"But you _did_ have another choice, you coudda... chose option two?" Kevin gaped in bafflement.

Kanou-a's eyes sparkled sadly, "Yes. I could have converted beloved Kirby into a merman, but that will only give him _bodily_ changes; he will remain a being with no supernatural abilities, as a result, he will be an outcast among my people who all have their own powers. I do not want Kirby to suffer that way, alienated and inferior, even if it is to live with me; I remember Kirby telling me how he had suffered being a lonesome boy in his childhood, and I don't want him to suffer that all over again, in a different environment. And besides, if I were to convert him into a merman, he would not be able to protect the Universe, for he has no magic to self-sustain any body transformations, so he cannot turn into a human for fighting's sake and to help you all. And also, the several people who love him will miss him terribly; I cannot have so many hearts broken. Having Kirby changed into a merman has only _one_ advantage, and that is, he gets to be with _me_, but the rest of his life will wallow in misery, and I do not want Kirby to be sad even for a moment. Yes, I am sad beyond words, but I am soon to be a ruler, and as a ruler, I shall take my decisions _only_ after I cross-check the benefits, the consequences and the effects it creates. As per that analysis, I only see it fit that I did _not_ convert Kirby."

The girls gaped at the merman who gazed at Kevin. Kevin looked back at him, stunned at what he was hearing; Kanou-a had given Ben up for the sake of... _them?_

Gwen and Julie were touched. They moaned sadly at him, casting him sad looks.

Kevin put forward his next doubt, "But Ben would have not agreed to this, right?! He really looked _damn_ sure he wanted to stay with you!"

Kanou-a smiled, titling his head, "Kirby always goes blind when he is with something he truly desires, to a point he refuses to see the consequences, or to have the foresight. Kirby loves me, and I _do_ know that. So, he would easily agree to the conversion, _without_ thinking how it will affect his social life, his family, his duty, his obligations, his Fate. He is blindly in love, and I do not blame him; for Kirby is like that, he is lovable, innocent, and affectionate. But I have taken the upperhand of the better man who shows the right path to his beloved; and I know Kirby will not agree to my decision of returning him to the human world, so I had him put into a sleep spell. When he wakes up from his slumber... he will not remember anything."

"HUH?!" three voices gasped together.

_Not remember? Where did THAT come from?!_

Kanou-a answered, his face a little dull and sad, "I have erased his memory; when he wakes up, he will have no clue he had met a merman named 'Kanou-a'. For, his memories from the day he met me, till a few minutes ago, have been removed."

The girls shook in disbelief, they gave out gasps, "But, but..."

Kanou-a glanced at them, and managed a pained but pretty smile, "Kirby will not be able to go back to his normal life, if he knows who I am and what position I held in his heart. It is best for him if he does not know me in the _first_ place. It will make the pain be non-existent."

He stepped back and bestowed them a sincere smile, "I come to give Kirby to you, and to thank you all, for being my friends, for showing me a world of possibilities that lie outside my water world."

Kevin wathced, shaken and stunned as Kanou-a walked towards the huddled girls, both looked at the brink of sobbing up a storm.

Gwen and Julie sighed, "Oh, Kanou-a..." and they watched in dismay as the merman stood in front of them, a beautiful melancholic smile playing on his lips as he put out his hands, and held Gwen's slim palm in his left hand, and Julie's small palm in his right hand. He brought the hands to heart, as he bowed, "Thank you, for being my friends. I admire you both; Cousin Gwen, for your stamina, your smartness, your manna and energy that I have found unique and helpful, while Friend Julie, for your agility and reflexive skills that have helped me master the human's walk and fight mannerisms."

He lifted up his head again, to look at them, their eyes were laced in a thick layer of glistening tears.

"Kirby is lucky, to have people like you in his life; a cousin who understands him like a friend, sister and mother; and a friend who never fails to help with what ability she has. I have learnt a lot from you, I wish I hadn't had the need to erase your memories as well."

Immediately, the girls gasped, shaking their heads vehemently, "_No!_ Don't remove our memories of you, Kanou-a!" Julie squeaked, a single tear rolled out her small wide eye. Gwen sniffled, "We won't let you! We want to remember you, you are special to us now!"

Kanou-a's smile fell slowly as he gazed down at the feminine hands he held, "I am sorry, it is already done," he released their hands slowly, and they gaped at the golden magical runes swirling and shining on their palms, spell-words which disappeared the next moment. They looked up from their hands, eyes whizzing frantically between Kanou-a's.

The merman smiled once again, "I have no other choice, friends. If you know of me, you will have the tendency to tell Kirby of me, or maybe even spill it to him by mistake. I cannot let that happen, for if he knows of me, he will clamour to meet me, and my brothers will not be pleased, and so will our fates end in another disaster," he smiled nostalgically as he sighed, "Very much like that story Kirby told me of, where the two lovers were from rivalling families who opposed their affair, and in the end, a misunderstanding took place, resulting in one taking their own life and the other seeing the beloved dead, takes their life as well."

Gwen and Julie sniffled in irony as they moaned together, "Romeo and Juliet!"

"Ah yes, that," Kanou-a beamed, though hurt was easily felt in it, "But here, I cannot let _death_ come as the end of this. I am not being a coward by letting Kirby go; I am but bravely sacrificing my love, to let my Kirby live a good life. I am sacrificing my one love for the several people who love Kirby, those who would be devastated if Kirby was no longer with them. I am sacrificing my love for the sakes of Kirby's good future. Is that not what a good person must do?" he titled his head sweetly.

Gwen and Julie bit their lips sadly, and nodded, sniffling again. The girls gazed at the affectionate face of the sad but smiling merman, then could hold no more and burst out in tears as they jumped to hug Kanou-a together.

Kanou-a smiled again, as he wound his strong arms around the two slight forms, and embraced them warmly. "I shall miss you; the loving enthusiasm and curiosity that bubbles within you, I hope that never dies!"

A breeze whooshed through the air in the a moment of silence.

When the girls were pulling back after hugging him, Gwen asked, "W-when will we...lose our memories?" and Kanou-a answered her, "In about an hour or so. You would feel drowsy and feel the need to sleep. When you awake, you shall not know of me or anything connected to me."

Julie looked sadly at her best friend. And the later returned the gaze as well.

Kanou-a stepped back, smiling at them, and walked back to the raven who remained frozen, holding Ben in his arms.

_He sacrificed his love for Ben, for them? For Ben's future?!_

Kevin blinked, as the twin-like figure faced him once again, smiling, he reached out to touch Kevin. Immediately, Kevin guessed what the merman was about to do, and he stepped back softly, "N-no, wait! You don't have to erase my memory! I wanna keep it."

Kanou-a's lips parted in surprise, and the girls blinked too.

Kevin lowered his head, feeling a little stupid to be admitting it, but he spoke nonetheless, "I... you gave me a world of pain, man. But," mahogany eyes looked up to catch a pair of indigo, "But, in these few days you have been in my life, I learnt a lotta stuff; about my self, about my sexual orientation, about my love for Ben. I learnt that there _are_ people who actually value me. I learnt that _only_ when you came around. Especially, from that Cublor's stomach." his cheeks went a little pink as he frowned at the ground. Kanou-a smiled in good nature, feeling warm.

Kevin continued, "If-if you erase me memory of you meeting Ben, I won't know that I love him, and all the emotional progress I had made from it will be no more. It'll all be back to square one!"

Kanou-a looked at the face that now looked back. Softly, Kanou-a whispered, "But, will you manage to keep me a secret from Kirby?"

"I think yeah, I guess I'm good at keeping secrets. I kept my love for Ben as a secret from _myself_, that's how good I am at it!" Kevin looked away, crossly.

Kanou-a beamed slowly, and nodded, "Alright. If you are ready to breathe not a single word about myself to Kirby, then yes, I shall let you keep your memories of me."

Kevin looked at the merman, appalled at how this guy was smiling so sweet and calm even though Kevin could guess what sort of a storm of grief was brewing in the marine heart.

"Hey," Kevin bit his lip, blinking in concern that he tried to mask but failed to do so, "How are _you_ gonna cope with this? I mean, I know what its like to be in love with someone whom you can't even show you're feelings to. How are you gonna live _all_ your life, loving Ben but knowing that he won't even know _who_ you are?"

Kanou-a's lips stretched a little as he smiled, "Ah, I thank you for the concern, Friend Kevin. You see, my brothers have agreed to erase my memory as well. For I am also a living being with superbly sensitive feelings if I should say so myself. And you are right when you say that I would not be able to live normally, carrying unrequited love for the now oblivious Kirby, with the pain that he does not even recognise me. So for the best for both sides, I am to sacrifice my memories of him as well. All I would know is that I had matured, but I would never know by _whom_." he sighed softly, the very gesture was full of deep sadness, although he was smiling, "Kirby has given me the most exhilarating moments of my life; he had showed me how fun and easy one can be, he has shown me that humans can be extremely wise and responsible, he has shown me what my body can do, even without powers and magic, the pleasure and ecstasy one can achieve. It had been a blissful group of days. But is Fate does not want us to be together, then I am no one to rebel that. I accept my release of memory, for the best of all around Kirby and for himself."

Kevin gaped literally. his eyebrows twitched in disbelief; _how could this guy so easily just?... It takes a great amount of willpower to do something like this._

Kevin, as he had said, knew what the pain was like, and yet, the merman managed it. With a cheerful and brave face.

Kevin found his mouth go dry. His speechless brown eyes were gazing _right_ into the blue that kept looking at him, since this was his last time he could see him.

"Kanou-a," Kevin looked lost and even hurt, "I thought you were gonna take him away, but you gave Ben up for us; I _really_ dunno what to say..."

Kanou-a's face lit up; and he moved closer, lifting one wet right hand to touch the left side of Kevin's face lovingly, fingers slowly stroking the cheek, as he spoke, "Ah, you needn't say anything; you called me by my name for the first time; that shall be more than enough to please me from your side."

Kevin found himself frowning, not at the forgiving merman but at himself for having been so rude to _this_ guy right here, who had returned Ben to him. Who had sacrificed his love, for their sake. Willingly handing ben over to him.

Kevin found his thoughts scattering as the merman moved even closer, face only inches from his, he could distinctly smell the exotic water lilies. The ravens were pressed close, with the sleeping Ben sandwiched between them. Kevin felt a shudder climb his spine, as the merman moved his face sideways as hovered his lips just beside Kevin's left ear, "Before I leave," Kanou-a whispered, his voice cool and beautiful as silk, "You must promise me _one_ thing; you must tell Kirby that you love him."

Kevin's eyes widened. He froze, staring ahead of him at the horizon. He swallowed slowly.

Kanou-a pulled back a little, face still so very close, but now facing each other so that Kevin could hear and _feel_ every word falling off the lips identical to his, "You must tell Kirby that you love him. Since I be no longer in his memories, he will _willingly_ accept you, for who knows, maybe he loved me because he initially and subconsciously had feelings for you? You must not delay this; the more you pause and hesitate, the more obstacles you might face in the future. You were delayed in realising your feelings for him, which was why I managed to covet him before you could. But Fate has turned out to be kind to you; Fate has offered you a second chance, to mend everything, to create a beautiful life with Kirby. I don't want you to waste this opportunity; and you needn't worry a rejection. Kirby will love you unconditionally."

Kevin's mouth opened wider; the whole concept was now looming suddenly into him. Ben was...going to be _his?_

Kanou-a looked on, whispering as his long slim fingers slowly tucked a lock of Kevin's wet black hair behind his ear, "So, do you promise? To tell Kirby that you love him? As soon as possible?"

Kevin's mouth close as he whispered back, "Y-yeah, I promise."

Kanou-a smiled, and then looking down at the oblivious sleeping brunette cradled in Kevin's arms, he spoke, "Kirby is now all your's. Although my grief cannot be put into words, I am _not _regretful to be betrothing him to you, for I know you shall love him as much as I loved him, I know that you will love him all you can, I know that you will protect him with your life, and never let him see pain or sadness." Kevin looked back at him, a new emotion of repentance shining in the mahogany irises. Kanou-a didn't like anyone being sad for his sake, so he grinned, and whispered in a lower voice, "Oh, I think it might be of great interest to you to know that Kirby's neck is _very sensitive_. And so is his navel."

Kanou-a even _winked_ suggestively at him.

Kevin's eyes went bluntly wide like a stupefied toddler, his cheeks suddenly dark pink.

Kanou-a smiled wider, feeling happy.

He then blinked down at Kirby and looked back up at the brown eyes, biting his lips indescicively, "Uh, since you have all the right over Kirby now, may I ask you, to grant me one last wish?"

Kevin blinked at the familiar request, his face feeling hot at the manner Fate had flipped him and his 'twin' in this game. "Oh, I know what you're wish is. Go ahead, it's the least I can do to let you know we appreciate your sacrifice, Kanou-a."

Kanou-smiled in gratitude. He looked back down at the sleeping brunette, feeling his eyes burn in silent tears. He reached out and brushed back the brown fringe on the forehead, and dipped his head to slowly rest his closed lips over Ben's. He only stayed for a moment, as he whispered with his lips still on Ben's, "Farewell, beloved Kirby."

Pulling back, Kanou-a smiled, feeling his lips tingle merely at the touch of it against Ben's full ones, but momentarily sad he would never get to experience the soft luscious lips ever again. However, he was glad to see no emotion of anger, jealousy or irritation on Kevin's face. In fact, Kevin looked peacefully confused but sad; it was a big difference from the usually pissed-off expression he always wore. Now, Kevin looked _more_ like Kanou-a.

The merman leaned in and pressed his left cheek to Kevin's left cheek, whispering, "Farewell, Friend Kevin."

Kevin blushed in reply, a heavy weight sinking in the middle of his chest. He hung his head a little, feeling a mix of emotions, so many that he couldn't even count or name them.

Kanou-a pulled back, lifting his hand to hold Kevin's chin up, and gave him a final smile before retreating and pulling away, hand outstretched where he had been touching Kevin's face.

The merman stepped backwards a few, such that now, he could see the girls in his vision as well. He took a deep breath and let it out bravely, his chest inflating in dignity and pride as he called out in soft, polite tones, "I, Kanou-a, the Fourth Prince of the Ocean, thank you all, for having been a part of my life, however short the part has been. Even though sadly we may not know each other after this day, (except Friend Kevin of course), I shall today pray to all the Gods I know that you all be safe and live long. My mating ceremony happens soon, so I shall find myself a spouse and rule my kingdom to move on and be a good ruler as how Kirby wanted me to be. Grant me leave, beloved friends."

The girls sobbed, their lower lips twitching as they swiped at their noses with handkerchiefs. They looked at Kanou-a sadly and he returned the looks with a soft smile of farewell. Slowly, he swung his face to Kevin, who looked at a loss, still finding the truth and realisation too tough and sudden to be digested.

Kanou-a stepped backwards, and backwards, eyes not leaving the three and the little sleeping beauty, till he now _stood_ _on_ the _surface_ of the water. He stood with his long, damp, black hair billowing sideways in a strong breeze, the dangling strips moss at his hips fluttering a little, as did his fins. The crown glowed as he raised his hands at his either sides, making long coils of swirling water to rise up around him from the surface of the Ocean.

The last thing the teens saw of him was his sad melancholic smile, and the glitter of tears in his shining indigo irises, before the coils wound around him, to engulf him in a small tornado and then it completely disintegrated, leaving only a shower of sparkling water drops shining in the sunlight.

Gone. He was gone, forever.

The silence swept in the air, save for the swishing of the breeze or the soft crashing of waves on the shore. Seagulls cackled from above, winds sang softly everywhere. Silent sobs of the girls hiccupped in the air too.

Kevin stood there, unable to hold in what had just happened, he just stood there, frozen, facing the horizon, hair fluttering in the breeze, arms holding the sleeping brunette like a bride, both their clothes were a little worn out and torn from their fights since morning, but Kevin's was far more in a torn sate owing to his experience in the Cublor's stomach.

Slowly, his legs shook as he realised...Ben was now all _his._

No more pain. No more crescent burns. No more blunt fantasising. No more sleepless nights. No more heartaches.

All _his._ All _his_.

His knees gave away as he sank to the sandy shore, gasping a little at the heavy weight of truth pushing down on him, and the halo of happiness that slowly seeped into his shocked system. He sat on folded knees, and lowered Ben's legs. He slowly wound his arms around the sleeping Ben's shoulder, one hand supporting the small head that he pressed to his own, his forehead on the soft brown hair, his heart drumming, lungs heaving. Eyes closed, he shut out the world and listened only to the beats of his heart, and sounds of Ocean that seemed to be symbolic of Kanou-a who had willingly given him the greatest gift ever possible.

Ben.

All his.

All his.

The girls watched the sight of Kevin sunken on the ground on his knees, hugging his beloved Ben as if he wanted to do that for all of eternity, and never let go.

Kevin finally had reached his happy ending, as prophesised by the Gypsy lady.

Kevin looked up at the sky, blue like Kanou-a's eyes, vast expanse, forgiving, loving, protective, powerful, all seeing. His brown eyes shone in gratitude as he whispered...

"I promise... to love Ben, to never let him be sad, never let him go. I'll be here for him, always. Always right here, just beside him, forever."

o.o.o

_Baby I'm here, I'm here to stay, I ain't going nowhere; I__ know you're scared, 'cause you've been hurt, baby, it's all right; _

_Lost in your eyes, every time, that you look in mine; __promise to be all that you need, I won't leave you, baby, no;_

_ I just wanna love you, I would never ever put nobody up above you; __I just wanna kiss you, baby, I just wanna hug you till the end, baby, till the end. _

_Cause I'm right, right here, ain't nobody gonna hold you; __'cause i'm right, right here; ain't nobody gon' control you; _

_'cause I'm right, right here, yeah; I__'m right here, I'm right here,_ _I'm right here, I'm right here, yeaaah._

- End of Chapter -

* * *

**_pls don't kill me for kanoua's sacrifice; its the way this story shud end somehow, its just the way it shud, coz any other ending wud seems too cliché or generic. :)_**

**_Ok, now its bad-news time. :(_**

**_sniff sniff, this is official the second to last chapter of this story, I duuno whn I will be able to post the 22nd chapter,coz...im going away too, like kanou-a, on an indefinite hiatus from 5th april, due to family situations. I dunno whn I will be able to post anything, its unsure, maybe next week? next month? next year? next day? dunno. I am so sad. its bad news, so fucking bad news T_T_**

**_:( I will miss you all! D:_**

**_oh and I shud let you all knw, that I have also planned an epilogue, we shud knw wht kanou-a is doing right? just before this amazingly supported story of mine comes to an end. I hate it whn character are left loveless :'P_**

**_thnk you all, I don't even know most of you personally, in fact I dunno ANY of you personally, yet the support and reviews you all give me, make us close knit and bonded, beyond words. ok now im sounding like kanou-a (TT_TT) hope u don't think im cheesy :(_**

**_I hope, by gods grace, somehow I will manmage an update in a few days, could pop up any time, so just watch out ok?_**

**_review nonetheless! I love you all! mwaaah! (sniffles sadly)_**

**_[credits: Justin Beiber's new song Right Here. whn I first heard it, this chapter tht I had planned long time ago came up and I decided to feature it. sounds really fitting dontchya think?:D]_**


	22. All his

**SURPRISE! **

**Hello everyone! IM BAAACK!**

**:) in Megamind's words: first of all, what a _turnout_! how _wild_ is this huh?!**

** Well, I had a few months of upheaval to deal with, and if I may so mention, the shit hasn't been dealt with yet. So yeah, very scarce updates from me. Sigh.**

**I hope you guys haven't forgotten my story tho, and I fear I mite not deserve any more attention from you all, owing to my sudden leave two months ago. Well, all I can ask is forgiveness, and as a peace offering, I present to you a new chapter! unfortunately the second to last of this long story.**

**and hotxhotguy, ure going to like this chapter fufufu! :D**

**Thank you to all who have reviewed wonderfully even after the start of my hiatus! Mwah!**

**warning: this story contains yaoi/ slashing/ boyxboy/ sugary happy ending !**

**disclaimer: I do not in any way own ben ten alien force! its ll the property of the Man of Action!**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**Chapter twenty two : All his.**

Kevin sighed. He sat at the edge of the bed in Ben's room, fiddling his thumbs nervously. Ben slept peacefully on that bed, snoring softly. The girls were in their respective rooms too. As Kanou-a had promised, a few minutes after the merman disappeared forever, the two females had begun to feel exhausted to their dismay. However, they could do nothing but surrender to the delicious exhaustion of Kanou-a's memory erasing spell.

Kevin remembered how he had calmly watched the drowsy girls sniffling at each other as they trudged to the beach house, while Kevin (who had found the strength return back into his legs) got up to his feet and followed them as if he had suddenly forgotten where he lived.

The shock of it all was still heavy and effective.

He could not believe what had just unfolded in the last thirty minutes.

Ben was now all his. _All his._

It still sounded like a dream; a dream that he would soon wake up from as he groaned in dismay for it being an apparition. But no, there was no doubting this; he had clearly and really seen the melancholic sadness in those captivating unforgettable blue eyes as the merman handed him his beloved Kirby. This was real. Ben was now all his.

After all those days of pining and heartache, all the hate-that-I-love-you attitudes, and longings; there finally shone the ray of sunshine on him. Like the Gypsy had prophesied. His happy ending.

Almost instantly, an acidic feel rose in the pits of his stomach, when he recalled the sombre smiling merman. He had been harsh to that dude, yes he had. Called him names, scoffed at him, refused to acknowledge his awesomeness, drat, he refused to give him even a smile. But that guy had not returned any of those snarky methods. Instead, he did a huge unfathomable sacrifice and that too with that same actually beautiful smile. Was that smile really so good? Maybe he should try smiling like that too. Would it fit his persona?

Kevin sighed again. His thoughts were so unstable, that he was thinking of all the random things. So he took a soft but deep breath and buried his head in his hands.

Behind him, Ben breathed softly and calmly, with a warm blanket covering him upto his neck. Kevin had no choice but to strip the teen of his wet clothes sodden with the salty sea water, and during the whole process he had kept his eyes averted from Ben's unmentionables. Even though he had already seen it and touched it before, his actions were merely out of respect for Ben's privacy.

What did it matter now? Ben was all his! Well, not yet, but soon would be. Kevin remembered how Kanou-a was so sure of it.

Peace had swept over Kevin to see Ben asleep, safe and unharmed. He had not even bothered about his own wet clothes while bustling over making sure Ben was comfy. But now, even as he sat at the edge of the bed in damp clothes that stuck to his skin, he didn't feel like budging an inch.

Calmly, Kevin's mind dwelt more on the happenings of today, a day where not even a _second_ of time was still or boring; the entirety they had spent from spotting the merman for the first time to leaving the shore, it had been wild. As his thoughts went deeper, he felt his face grow hot in guilt when he remembered how pessimistic, self-pitying and unaccepting he had been of Kanou-a's help during his near-death experience in the Cublor's stomach. Kevin felt a little more dumb remembering it was a death he tried to magnetize to himself. And thanks to Kanou-a, he was alive and, in a bonus, soon about to covet Ben. What if he had not allowed Kanou-a to save him? What if he had died just before Kanou-a had landed his lips to his identical ones and given him life?

Shuddering, Kevin sighed.

It was not like Kevin to repent and right his wrongs; if he was ever guilty about something, he would just shrug it off and remind himself to not do it again. But the wrongs he had done to Kanou-a and the way he had saved his sorry ass made Kevin miraculously want to make it up to him. And he knew the best way for that would be to….

He could nearly see the dense aquamarine eyes as the voice floated into his head.

_Before I leave...You must promise me one thing; you must tell Kirby that you love him._

Kevin knit his eyebrows in determination._I promise._

"Unnhhh…."

Kevin's eyes widened, he looked over his shoulder to see Ben mumbling as his eyes opened ever so slowly. Rich bright green stared confused at the ceiling of his room, blinking and groaning, a tanned hand flew to the forehead and rubbed at the temple.

"Wh..h..?"

It was when the oblivious teen felt a shadow on him did he notice Kevin in his peripheral vision. Ben let his hand lay back against his side and looked at the concern-looking Osmosian.

"Hey," said Kevin giving him a smile, "How're you feeling?"

"A little sore," Ben tried to return the smile, but it failed hilariously, causing a glint of mirth to shine in the tawny eyes. Ben looked at Kevin and sat up groggily. Kevin tried not the stare at the flat chest, pink nipples, small bellybutton, petite arms, slender collarbones, slim neck and smooth skin that rose into view as the hem of the blanket fell at Ben's waist. Better thought that done. Kevin found his eyes magnetised and his face ablaze in heat, all thankfully unnoticeable to Ben.

Ben rubbed at his eyes. "What happened? I can't remember how things went," he frowned in one of those cute confused ways and pouted, "Damn, I can't remember anything at all!"

Kevin felt a bit dull at the words 'can't remember'. Nonetheless, he kept his mask of casual coolness and replied while the brunette looked at him, "Let me give you a recap; we fought Alpha Metrons at the shore and we kicked ass. But then it was so tiring that you blacked out."

A pause of reflection.

Raven and brunette stared at each other blankly.

"That's it?", Ben blinked at him, as if he had expected some very detailed and wondrous description of something amazing they might have done.

Kevin blinked back. "Yeah." Lying came to him like a talent. But with those toxic green looking at him intently, he felt a little flutter in his heart. But thankfully, the flutter had gone when the believing Ben shrugged, "Oh, okay." The brunette looked about then raised an eyebrow at Kevin, "Wait, Alpha Metrons?"

"High tech, alien-made Robots."

"Oh." Then, Ben asked casually, "The girls?"

"Asleep. Worn out."

"Okay", he nodded.

Ben felt a breeze travel into the room and tickle his bareback. It felt good against his skin although a shiver did travel up his spine. Then something occurred to him out of the blue. Kevin watched as Ben lifted the hem of the blanket and stared at his torso that was hidden from Kevin's view.

"Uh, why am I nude?" Ben looked up at Kevin quizzically as he placed the hem back on him again.

"We were all soaked through after our fight, so after you blacked out I took you up here. I had to removed you wet clothes or you'd fall sick, you know? The girls were too tired out to help you, so I told them I'd take care of it while they got out of their own soggy dresses and instantly fell asleep."

Ben looked surprised if anything. Kevin going out of his way to help him? That sounded rather nice for a change.

"Thanks Kevin," Ben smiled, making Kevin feel all hot on the inside. Ben reached out a hand and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder, and ironically it was Ben who jumped. "You're still wet!"

"Semi-damp" Kevin corrected, "I don't catch diseases as easily as humans do. Its an Osmosian thing. So I didn't bother about changing. It doesn't matter, anyway."

Ben smiled further. Kevin was being really nice. Maybe it was because the girls weren't around and he didn't have to flout his manly behaviors. Atleast, that's what Ben thought. Either way, he liked this little concerned attention Kevin was giving him.

Kevin looked away, feeling a little numb by the limbs with those eyes gazing at him in undisguised gratitude.

The raven spoke as if to the floor, "Lemme get some clothes for ya."

So said, he got up and walked to the in-built wardrobe identical to the one in his room. Within, he fished out some boxers, pants and a green button-up shirt. Closing the wardrobe, he walked back to Ben and tossed the said articles on Ben's head with a grin. Ben, having expected the _gentleman_ to hand them out nicely, pulled off the clothes from his head and stuck out his tongue at him. Kevin grinned further at the sight.

It felt great to be 'back to normal' seeing he couldn't even look or 'play' with Ben when they had the painful hurting memories.

Ben tugged at the blanket and swung his bare legs over the side of the bed, a gesture that was indication to him about to stand stark naked in front of a boy who got the hibbie-jibbies just thinking about him. Kevin reflexively spun on his heels and stared at the uninterested door, biting his lip since he was not in Ben's view and did not have to worry about Ben seeing it. He tried to suppress imagining Ben dress from behind him.

Meanwhile, Ben only smiled in happy confusion at Kevin's friendly manners. Not that Kevin was a rude jerk; he was just _not_ so _keen_ on being friendly and yes, most of the time, he didn't care _shit_ about manners. But Ben reminded himself that he shouldn't be surprised, Kevin had been good to him on several rare occasions when they were alone like this. It made him feel nice.

Kevin only turned around when he was sure Ben had taken enough time to pull on his boxers and pants, and button up his shirt. Which he had. Kevin tried to ignore a slight disappointment that came with it.

Ben sat down at the edge of the bed. He looked at Kevin and patted the bed, "Here, you can sit if you want."

Kevin shrugged and complied.

Together, sitting side-by-side, they stared at the opposite wall, nothing to talk of.

In Ben's case, he was feeling airy and strangely light. There was nothing bothering him, but he felt odd, like a stretched rubber-band that was suddenly let go to sigh into its original shape. He felt as if some big 'something' had deflated off him and left him in a soothing relief. He couldn't name this weird feeling but he decided to not think too much about it. _Must be a side effect of fainting or something._

Kevin on the other hand had a hundred things to worry about. What to say, what to do, how to quicken the steps he so wanted to take. This was his chance to be alone with Ben without being too suspicious, and there was this mellow tone to the current situation that he was sure would not be easy to make any other time. If there was any time to confess, then this should be it. With the room half dark, window open, curtains fluttering sleepily, pretty evening hues of the sunlight streaming into the room. Perfect.

Out of the blue, Kevin asked, "Hey, Ben, mind if I ask something?"

Ben turned to him, smiling, "No, go ahead."

Kevin frowned at his hands, fingers locked and dangling between his knees, "What do you think of me?"

Both of Ben's eyebrows rose a little in surprise, "Huh?"

"Y'know, like," he turned his face to Ben, "What is your opinion about me? Am I good to be around? Are you irritated when I make fun of you? Things like that?"

Kevin himself was not so sure why he wanted to know, but he went with it, maybe it might help him better to know what Ben thought of him.

Ben cocked his head and stared ahead of him at the wall as he sought the right words. "Well, you're a good person, though you started out wrong and I don't have the right to blame you for that. And the first time we met, we were only friends for a day, then enemies for years and now best friends. If I should really trust you who was one of my nightmares to be my best friend, you can assume how good I think of you," Ben gave him a cute smile as he continued, "You're independent, you can look after yourself, you're strong, you're not afraid of anything, you've got the looks, you've got the brains. I have admired you for a while, to be honest," Ben shrugged, "And at times I have felt like I wanted to be like you; without a care in the world, self-assured, experienced. I've envied you even. I know that we do get in a lot of fights together, but those are just temporary, right? Deep down, I know that if I wanted any close friend, it should be you."

Kevin felt his defenses crumble. He tried to not choke with girlish joy as he held his victorious shout at the back of his throat, his abs tightening under his shirt from the strain of holding-in uneven bursts of breathing, as he smiled casually, "Really?"

"Yeah," Ben's eyes twinkled, "Gwen's really lucky to have you."

Kevin's lips parted a bit, but he closed them before he could retort that he wanted nothing to do with Gwen. That he wanted only _one_ other Tennyson. That he wanted….

"So, what's with the sudden question, anyway?" asked Ben, startling Kevin.

"Whu? Oh, its n-nothin'." Kevin hurriedly looked away again. The waves of nervous heat was rising up his neck again, making it hard to lie to Ben.

"Okay," Ben shrugged it off, though he did feel a bit confused.

Kevin 's eyes fell on the large mirror at the side of the room. Since it was to his side of the wall, he saw only himself in it. Almost immediately the brown eyes had morphed to blue and the skin gone paler as (in his mind) in the mirror, he saw Kanou-a who tsked softly, with a "_Oh c'mon, Kevin! Its nothing? Really?"_ sort of look on his smiling face.

Kevin blinked at the mirror and the reality showed him only his own slightly flabbergasted face.

Kanou-a was now the face of his conscience when it came to Ben. And he knew he had to listen to it.

"Uh, actually, Ben," Kevin turned to the brunet abruptly, "There _is_ something."

"Yeah?"

Kevin took only a moment to look at Ben, before bravely letting it out, "I have a crush on you. Big time. I-I could even say its love. Sure we had a bumpy and patchy history but it's all good now, right? I'm a good guy and you're a hero so, uh…" and he simply ran out of words.

A confession that had come in outta nowhere. Ben looked at him deeply, and for the first time, Kevin found the brunette's face absolutely unreadable. So, he stared at him, and Ben kept calmly scrutinizing his eyes as if he could see the emotions behind them. Kevin's fingers twitched as a dense silence extended between the two. Maybe he shouldn't have come on so strong.

Now Kevin had a good idea what the singers on American Idol (and such) feel when the judges just stare at them during the elimination rounds.

"Okay, _what?_"Kevin asked finally, when his patience ran thin.

"Mhhm, nothing. Just checking whether this is a prank," Ben smiled, not removing his eyes from Kevin's face.

"What?!" Kevin's eyebrow shot up, "I just bore my heart out to you, and you suspect it's a prank? I'm insulted!" he pretended to gasp in indignance.

Ben laughed softly, and when he had stopped, him looked at him carefully with those green eyes again. The emerald irises fixated on his face like a laser, damn, the way they glanced at him now, he could just die.

Ben reasoned, "You _were_ a con-artist, so I just wanted to make sure you were really serious, and not feigning it."

Kevin huffed and shifted on the bed so that his upper body now faced Ben, as he looked Ben right in the face, "Okay, you can check all you want, I'm _dead_ serious."

Ben had an amused glitter to his eyes, because by the look of Kevin's face, Kevin _was_ truthful; the dense mahogany had never looked so… dense.

"You ever dated other guys?" Ben asked a little doubtfully.

That was a really unexpected and surprising question. "No, you're my first, uh, _guy_. And my first true love. I had girlfriends but they never really got me this strong."

"Not even _Gwen_?" Ben asked breathily, eyes wide like a marveled child.

"Not even Gwen," Kevin shook his head solemnly. He then added, "Besides, why should you be a worried if this is a prank? I'm the one who confessed and revealed that I'm gay-ish. Gay-ish, since I only like one guy."

Ben shot him an amused smile, "I just wanted to make sure, 'cause if I confessed to you and then you used it to your advantage to blackmail me?"

"No, I won't blackmai-…wait, _what?!_" Kevin felt his heart stop in some sort of shock for the unknown. Ben gave him a rather sly grin, making Kevin's eyes widen by the second. "You mean to say you...?" Kevin already knew Ben was gay, but what he didn't know was whether Ben liked him back, and with what Ben had spoken, he was sure he stood fricking good chance.

Ben leaned back on his arms and looked calmly at him, "I never came out of the closet to anyone, and now you're the first person. And now that I have, and since you like me, I should add to my speech about you that I kinda have a crush on you, too."

This was the second time Kevin's world had stopped a dead halt, in the happy way.

His entire body was on fire, like steam rushing out his ears. But none of that showed on his face of course, except maybe, surprise. But this didn't stop him from screaming on the inside, whooping in delight.

_It's done! The confession is done! And I won! That rhymes! OK, now I'm going mad! Keep it together, Levin!_

The confession was simply, and quick, and he had owned it.

"Really?" Kevin asked, just to make sure he was not hearing things and going overboard with his own wishes.

"From the bottom of my heart," Ben confirmed, twiddling the fabric of the bedsheet between his fingers.

A slow grin broke out on Kevin's face, and seeing the victorious charm of it made Ben blush openly. Now the brunette understood why Kevin had shot him the question about himself. It made Ben feel important, that his opinions were precious to Kevin, that Kevin had humbly suspected Ben would turn down someone as amazing as him.

Kevin was now at a loss. He didn't know what to say now, yet in his mind, there were a million things buzzing and squealing to be released. Ben was turning him inside out, his each smile leaving goosebumps on him in its wake.

Another silence formed between them awkwardly, each burning on the inside with excitement but not letting themselves to succumb to it..

"So, you gonna ask me out on a date or what?" Ben flashed a menacingly naughty grin. Kevin felt his heart go up in flames, and it flicked on his bad-boy charm again.

Ivory teeth gleamed as Kevin grinned too, "Shrimp Palace, I'll make first-class reservations."

"Woah!" Ben laughed, since the restaurant Kevin mentioned was a real posh one, "Awesome!" and this made Kevin laugh gently too. Oh, he had money. Lots and lots of it. What he didn't have was someone to spend it on besides himself. Now he did.

Kanou-a would be proud.

When the laughter subsided, Ben twirled circles on the bed sheet idly, green optics watching Kevin in a sort of silently hungry stare, sly and shy yet dangerous even. He spoke, "So…is this the part where we kiss?"

Kevin stomach flipped a somersault in excitement. Part of him wanted to jump on Ben, part of him wanted to take it slow and easy. "Thought you'd never ask."

Neither moved but gaze at each other, their grins decreasing to smiles now only ghosting on their lips. Then neither knew who moved first, but they did and their lips were parting. Closer and closer, unsure but eager, each with half-lidded eyes on the other's mouths, they finally nulled the meager distance between them.

Lips locked, unmoving, silent and still, Kevin was in heaven. When Ben's small hand reached up to touch his cheekbones, he was shot further into heaven. Need pulsed in him and a deft tongue squirmed out his mouth to stroke at pink flesh of Ben's lips. He soon felt Ben's warm tongue greet his, and then it was a slow, lazy dance of pleasure as their mouths moved in sensuality, tasting each other, the corners of their lips wanting to turn up but the thought vanished as they dived more into the deep kiss. At the bedside, Ben's slim fingers climbed over the back of Kevin's hand that supported his weight where he sat. Finger entwined as if for life.

Outside, the waves of the ocean lapped against the shore, the sounds mingling beautifully with that of the wind blowing across the surface, like a singing Cupid.

o.o.o

A few days passed since that day. When Kanou-a left, and Kevin entered, Ben's lovelife.

That day, none of the three teenagers remembered anything of the events. And they only recollected fragments of the days before that had been wiped out from their minds. Kevin, (the only one with all his memories intact) decided to play along and pretend as if he too had forgotten a lot. He blamed it on "we had nothing to do and it was so boring, so what's there to get worked up about?" and that was a very good argument. So the teens just left it at that and picked up where they had left off; Gwen and Julie to their surfing classes, flirting with the coach who already had a throng of female admirers, while Ben and Kevin dated in secret, kissing when alone, and at the beach they went surfing, sunbathing and swimming too. At first, Kevin had been wary of a blue tail flipping up the surface, and he was not sure whether the feeling was fear or excitement but he did feel uneasy. But, he soon forgot the anxiety as he spent time with Ben.

Being with Ben was blissful. Paradise. He hadn't guessed that Ben would be so loving when they were alone and so playful in public. Apparently, there was more to Ben than meets the eye. He was going to enjoy his time out here. Having fun together. Swimming together, laughing together, and fighting aliens together.

o.o.o

Kevin and Ben walked along the food stalls and assorted gaming stalls. Every now-and-then, the brunette would jump up and down, and race to some stall he suddenly found worthy of a shot like an excited kid, while Kevin with his hands behind his head would just shrug off and watch the adorable sight. And that ass. That would soon be his. Hopefully.

It was then that something suddenly came into mind.

Kevin walked up to the brunette and placed his hands on either of Ben's shoulders and whispered into the brunette's ear, "You stay here and try to grab something, there's something I gotta check out, okay?

"Sure, take you're time! I'm not leaving this place till I knock all those ducks down!" Ben grinned as he aimed his gun at the poor plastic figurines make their beeline from one end of the stall to the other.

Kevin ignored the curious look of the guy next to Ben as he placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

Walking away into the millng crowd of adults, children, icecream cones and balloons, Kevin craned his neck, turning this way and that, looking out for a particular tent, one of dark maroon-and-black chiffon.

Soon, he spotted the said tent and quickly made his way to it. Bracing himself, he pulled away the flaps for the doors and walked in. He was surprised to see that instead of it being mysterious and dark, there were three lamps in the tent lighting up the inside as if it was outdoors, and there was no sight of that gypsy lady. Instead, there only stood a blonde teen in a pink tee and skyblue shorts, wearing her hair in two long ponytails, and a pink hat atop her golden crop. She was busy stuffing books, scrolls and pouches of herbs carefully into a carton box.

At the sound of Kevin walking in and stopping abruptly, she turned around and bestowed her pretty blue eyes on him. She was rather cute as her face lit up in a friendly way, "Oh, hello!" she had slight features, fair skin, full lips and a nearly hourglass figure.

Kevin gave her a charming, "Hey."

She smiled impressed. She set the box down on what Kevin recognized as the round table he had been at, only this time it was stripped of its alluring red table cloth, and stood naked in its mahogany glory. The girl then turned her full attention to him, surveying his hunk of a body complemented in violet shirt and black Bermudas. A blush laced her cheeks as she spoke in a cute voice, "Are you lost, sir?"

"Huh? No, uh, where's the, uh, palm-reader? The gypsy who used to read fortunes?"

"Oh, Madame Rhonda's done here. We're just packing up."

"Packing up?"

"Madame Rhonda travels, you see. Her shift here is over. Now she is moving to another location, where there's a carnival coming up. She goes from place to place when she's hired all over the country. Madame is rather famous for her accurate readings!"

"_Tell_ me about it," Kevin sighed.

"Sorry?"

"Um, could you tell me where she is? I just want a word with her?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, she just went to talk with the manager of a hotel we were staying at, she will be a while I'm afraid," faint golden eyebrows creased as she looked apologetically at him.

Kevin sighed, as he nodded, "Its cool. Anyway, thanks for telling me, -" he peered at the badge pinned to her shirt and read ", -uh…Hotxhotguy?" he raised an eyebrow at the unassuming name. The girl seemed to enjoy that sort of reaction, maybe she might have been getting it from everyone she happened to come across. She gave a silvery chuckle and squeaked, "Madame Rhonda is a funny person, she didn't want us apprentices to keep our real names when we work, she says it's too formal. So she lets us choose random names of our choice. All the apprentices get to keep cool names as they wish! She chooses her apprentices from where she is appointed, and me and my friends applied and got the job too, but its a temporary summer job, and it's my last day with her. But she's a nice person, real fun to be with!"

She looked so excited that Kevin gave her a smile.

She then added, "Oh, but I'm sorry that Madame Rhonda isn't here; would you like to wait?"

Kevin shrugged, "Its okay, I gotta go. But, say, Hotxhotguy, could you tell the lady that I came in? The name's Kevin. She knows me."

"Oh! Okay! Um, is there anything in particular to tell her, if you don't mind passing it to me?"

Kevin chewed his lower lip in thought, and then smiled, "Just tell her that Kevin found his happy ending."

Hotxhotguy raised a golden eyebrow and cocked her head like a little canary, but nonetheless nodded, scrunching her blue eyes cutely, "Will do!"

"Thanks, see ya," so said he bid farewell, while the girl waved to him eagerly.

….. An hour passed by…

Hotxhotguy carried the carton box with her as she weaved through the crowd, her destination being the truck that loaded the rest of the boxes. As she walked, she was polite enough to squeak, "Oops! Excuse me! Coming through! Please make way! Thank you! Oops, sorry, didn't mean to stamp your foot there! Oh dear, mind the tape! Sir, you dropped your wallet! Welcome!"

Finally, she nearly made it to the truck when Rhonda came towards her, her hips swaying as she catwalked calmly.

"Darling, what took you so long?" the bee-stung lips spoke in their thick accent. Hotxhotguy set down the box on the ground as she sighed, "Phew, that was heavy!" she then answered the question, "Sorry, Madame, many customers came in to say their thanks and goodbyes."

"Ah yes, it's a lovely set of people here," the woman smiled folding her hands at her swelling bosoms.

"Oh, and there was this one guy, he said you knew him pretty well. His name was Kevin."

Rhonda's attention quickly sharpened as she whipped her head from the carton at her feet and towards the blonde. "Kevin?! What did he say, dear?"

"He told me to tell you….uh…" she pouted with a finger to her lip and stared off into space, trying to remember the message from an hour ago, "Oh yeah, he said to tell you 'Kevin had found his happy ending', yeah that's what he said."

"_Did_ he now?" Rhonda smiled in an amused and satisfied manner. Her eyes twinkled happily, "Another couple saved."

"Was he your customer, Madame?"

"Indeed. Stubborn guy. Nasty attitude too, but with a heart of fire, and passion like flames," her eyes lit up as she remembered him.

"Oh," Hotxhotguy smiled, "Relationship crisis?"

"You could say that. But none like I have ever tackled before! He was an interesting one, that Kevin."

"So now he's probably back with his girlfr-"

"Hush, sweetie, there he is!" Rhonda caught hotxhotguy by the shoulders and spun her around. The blue eyes immediately caught the violet shirt. Kevin was standing in the small gap between two empty stalls, and with him was Ben. In the seclusion, no one in the crowds saw them. Kevin had Ben pushed up against one wall, and going by the way Ben blushed and Kevin grinned, their conversation was best not referred to. Hotxhotguy felt her cheeks set ablaze as she spotted Kevin dip his lowered head and kiss Ben on the neck. Tan fingers shot up to grip the long dark locks and guide the mouth to all the right spots of his throat.

"That, my darling, is the happy ending he spoke of!"

"Wow! A _real_ _yaoi_ _moment!_" Hotxhotguy gaped as her hands flew to grab her own face in excitement, "OHH-EM-GEEE, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! I SO gotta tell my friends about this!"

Rhonda smiled nostalgically as Kevin raised his face and met Ben's lips with his own. She had to grip tight onto hotxhotguy's shoulder to prevent the girl from either screaming off in joy or sinking to the ground in a faint. Thankfully she did neither, but bounced on her heels like a drilling machine. She eagerly pulled out her cell phone and snapped a picture.

"That must be Ben," Rhonda mused to herself as she gazed at the kissers, "He is really _adorahbul_."

_Happy ending to you, Kevin. Glad to be of service._

o.o.o

Little Andy was playing with a large beach ball in the water. His dad was off to get him some ice-cream. His mom was lying on the beach, under the shade, reading a book, like the several other people on the shore. The little red-head chuckled as the ball bobbed magically on the water rather than sink like a stone. Bob, bob, bob it went, bouncing and making him laugh. He hadn't realized he was drifting away from the crowd of people swimming and frolicking in the water.

Pulling up his red shorts he waded into the water, and realized his ball was suddenly out of the reach of his little seven-year old hand. Leaning out more and more, he waded further and further, till he suddenly felt strength leave his legs; he didn't know how to swim too well.

"Mommy!" he called in alarm, but the water got into his mouth and his call was a gurgled mess. Panic stuck the small child as he waved his arms helplessly, but he was sinking. Like a stone. Not like the ball. Bob, bob, bob, it remained on the surface.

The child was starting to feel dizzy as water enveloped him from all corners. It was holding him captive, and strangling him slowly. He didn't know whether to cry or not, but simply closed his olive green eyes and called for mommy in his mind.

Suddenly, two cold arms curled around him. They felt like cold jelly, like the goldfish he had back home, Fishy John he named it. But Fishy John had no hands, or long silky black hair. This was obviously a person, but not his daddy, he had orange-ish auburn hair. Not his mommy, she had flaming red hair. Then someone at the beach. But their skin was so cool, and soothing and shining. Andy let the kind strong arms hold him, and the movement of the water around him made him realize that he was being pulled up. He felt something cold and smooth press against his legs. It felt like the dolphin he had ridden on at the Dolphinarium. His face was buried deep into the strong muscular chest, and he saw sparkly stones around the person's neck.

Soon, he felt air tear into his lungs as he took a gasp of air, panting as he did. The strong arms lifted him and made him sit on a rock. Andy had closed his eyes again, in unknown innocent fear.

"Its alright little one, you are safe now," came a soft silken voice. It was so reassuring and kind, like his English teacher Lily McGiggins.

Slowly, olive green opened and his eyes focused on the man who had saved him.

Andy's mouth fell open as he gasped; the man was beautiful. He had an ivory toned skin, bright blue eyes, long black hair that stuck to his glistening skin like wet silk threads on marble. He was upto his pectorals in the water, and the small sparkly stones around his neck caught the lights prettily, the blue spiked fins looked like a seahorse's. His slim masculine hands rested on either of Andy's knees.

Andy's face twitched to the side when he saw a blue tail flick up at the surface and disappear.

"You're a merman... Is that your tail, Mr. Merman?" Andy whispered in serious awe.

Kanou-a smiled sweetly, as he flicked the appendage pleasantly, "Yes, it is. Do you like it?"

Andy nodded in absolute bewilderment, eyes wide and enthralled. His eyes followed the swaying pink ends of the fins like a pendulum.

"Now, don't go wandering off alone, alright? I managed to save you, but you may not be lucky the next time, yes?"

Andy looked at Kanou-a, and nodded again, still awed and speechless.

Kanou-a face shifted as he heard distant calls of a man, "Andy? Andy, where are you, buddy?!" and logic told him it was the child's father. Andy turned at the sound of his dad's voice, and looked back at Kanou-a, wanting to show his father what, or whom, he had found. Kanou-a's eyes shone as he placed a slim forefinger to his thin smiling lips and whispered secretively, "Sssh!"

The child cocked his head in surprise, full lips puckering to an 'oh'?

"Andy?"

Andy turned behind him and saw his dad walk up to him, "_There_ you are! What're you doing here all alone?! Didn't mommy tell you not to go out alone like that?!"

Andy looked back at the merman to see him not there anymore. There was no one there in the water, with a blue tail or blue eyes. Just him, and his ball beside him.

"C'mon, son, lets get going, your mommy's worried!" the man put out a hand and his son glad took it as he got up after scooping up the large ball under his arm. The olive eyes didn't leave the ocean searching for the beautiful merman.

"Daddy," he finally tore his eyes from the horizon and looked up at his father's blue ones, "Daddy, I saw a -" abruptly, he spotted three cones in his dad's hand, "Caramel fudge! Yay!" the short attention span taken, the child's eyes glittered in joy and excitement.

"Yup, your favorite!" the man grinned, handing the double-scooped cone to his son, "And this pistachio one's for your mom, and the strawberry delight one's for me! Now let's go, mom doesn't like her pistachio all melty-melty!"

Andy chuckled in a peal, caramel lining the sides of his lips as he licked at his cone. The father and son walked away from the deserted beach area, hand-in-hand.

From far away, sitting on a rock out of view, was Kanou-a, smiling at the sight of father and son. He brushed away the stray strands of damp hair that swept into his eyes from the breeze.

_That was an adorable child. It was his fortune I happened to sense his panicking energy_. Kanou-a's smile turned a little sad, _He had eyes nearly like Kirby's. Green. Beautiful. Bright. Full of wonder._

A pang of hurt and longing thudded within him, though his smile didn't fall. He looked out at the sun and sighed before slipping off under a wave.

…..another hour passed by….

The day was great. Ben and Kevin laughed as they joked, walking amidst the stalls. They paused at a lemonade stall, and talked more as the girl at the stall poured fresh juice and ice cubes into disposable cups for the customers. They quickly gulped down the great drink, and remained about, laughing and chatting.

Little Andy was in the opposite stall, happily handing his mom the Woody and Buzz Lightyear action figures he won at the 'throw the loop' game. Now, his dad was going for shot, his mom egging him like as if they were a couple of dating teenagers. Andy stood near his mom, looking around at the people, and stalls, watching out for any other games he would want to play.

His olive eyes fell on Kevin.

Wide and shocked, the child moved from the shade of his mother's shadow and stared at Kevin. The raven tossed the empty disposable cup into a nearby trashcan, and his eyes fell on the goggling Andy. Kevin smiled at the little kid, wondering why he was staring at him like that. Andy continued to stare. The fact that Kevin had brown eyes or short hair, and long legs meant nothing to him. Its was the face and the face alone that was the proof.

Kevin twitched an eyebrow upwards in a silent greeting of 'whassup?' to the saucer eyed kid, and as a result, Andy's mouth fell open.

"MOMMY!" he shrieked softly, tugging wildly at his mom's skirt, eyes still on Kevin.

Kevin was startled, and Ben, (having watched this whole spectacle) dug Kevin playfully in the ribs with his elbow, "You didn't give him a pedo-stare did you?"

"What?!" Kevin looked at his boyfriend, "Hell no! You saw how he was the one staring at ME, right?"

Meanwhile, Andy tugged and tugged at his mom's skirt and God forbid it tear. She sighed in exasperation, "What is it Andy, can't you see mommy is busy?"

"Mommy, no, you gotta look, mommy!" he whined, making the lady sigh and turn around.

"Alright, sweetie, what is it mommy should see?"

"That guy!" he pointed straight at Kevin. A few people stared in surprise. Kevin looked confused. Ben looked amused.

"Mommy, that guy is a MERMAN!" Andy announced as if it was a brilliant discovery for which he should deserve a Nobel Prize.

The spectators who heard snickered. Andy's mom looked stupid. Andy's dad was far too engrossed in the game to hear anything. Ben bit back a roar of laughter threatening to come up from his throat.

Only Kevin was the one who looked like he had been announced to a death sentence. His face turned a little pink in embarrassment, but fear licked him all over the insides frantically.

Andy's mom gasped, "Andy! Its rude to point!"

Andy whined, "Mommy he is! When I went in the water, and I was sinking, he saved me! He is a merman! He's got a blue tail and everything!"

The mother's face went hot in embarrassment too, as she looked around and saw the passersby going 'aw, hes so cute'. She only gave them smiles as she bent down and whispered, "Dear, you're embarrassing mommy! What are you – Andy! Wait!" the child had run off her grasp towards Kevin.

Kevin and Ben watched the kid run to them and skid to a halt. Olive green eyes looked up at the tall raven like wide saucers that were instantly so cute and adorable.

"You're a merman, I know it! I know you! You got a tail right?! A big blue dolphiny one?! Can you show me again?! Please?! Pretty please?! Mommy said if I said please, anyone will agree! Please?" he cocked his head, hands locked together at his chest, jumping from foot to foot, "I promise I won't wander off, like you told me! Please?"

Kevin opened his mouth, at a loss of words. A million things ran around his head. And the little kid was so fricking cute it was hard to compose anything to say.

Spectators chuckled and 'aw'ed at the sight of the kid pleading to the baffled teen. Andy's mom hurried came over and pulled her son back by the shoulders, sighing,"Andy," then she looked at Kevin and gave him a very sorry smile, "I apologize from his part, I am so sorry he's mocked you; he is such a huge fan of fantasy beasts, please forgive him?"

"S-sure," Kevin managed a confused smile, "It's no big deal, yeah."

Andy's mom scuttled him away, with the child mumbling and protesting softy, his eyes still turned to look at Kevin in confusion. Kevin could only watch, his stomach churning in a sick way.

_The kid had seen Kanou-a, hasn't he? He said something about sinking and saving. Kanou-a must have saved the kid from drowning._

He looked so pale and frozen that Ben nudged him at the side. Kevin turned to look at him, and Ben grinned, "Is it safe to laugh now?"

"Huh?" Kevin's eyelid twitched in annoyance. Ben burst out into a full force of laughter that he had held back till then, the effect of it made Kevin shake his head and grin too. By the time Ben was done, he had nearly lost all breath, bent double, clutching his stomach.

"Oh God! You! A merman! That's the biggest joke I heard all year!"

Kevin looked smug, mumbling that the 'joke' had fucked him several times underwater. Ben continued to laugh, having not heard that.

"Is that kid for real?" I mean, how can he even think you got a blue tail?! Bwhahaha!"

"Drop it, Tennyson," Kevin sighed, running his shaking fingers through his sweating hair. For a second, everything was so scary. His mind had blasted, his body went limp. Now he was just recovering, but his fingers still shook.

"Aw, c'mon, don't be such a spoilt sport!" Ben cooed, locking arms with him.

"I bet I can make you drool with a blue tail," Kevin snorted smugly, nose up in the air. Ben looked at him with disbelief.

"_Sure_ you can. When I'm done laughing my ass off when you do!"

Ben gave another peal of giggles, and Kevin joined him. Deep down inside, he knew that he could succeed. Maybe. But maybe, even though he looked like Kanou-a, only Kanou-a could be Kanou-a. From within the Cublor's stomach, Kanou-a had said he could never be a Kevin. It was vice-versa too.

"Besides, you don't have to dress up to make me drool. In fact, I'd prefer it if you didn't dress at _all!"_ Ben grinned maliciously at him. Kevin felt his entire body buzz in excitement as he returned the grin.

"Oh yeah?" Kevin leaned sideways, "Maybe I should strip right _now_?" came the icy whisper. Ben had to admit he loved the way it affected his balance, and his spine was tingling.

"Naw, I don't want anybody to see you but me!" he said possessively, "Lets save it for our 'first time', yeah?" there was this lustrous glint to the green eyes, that Kevin felt his pants go tight.

"First time?" Kevin asked in pretend innocence, even batting the small barely-visible eyelashes he had.

"Stop playing dumb!" Ben gave out a laugh, ruffling the silken black hair, and then Kevin joined him laughing as well.

o.o.o

Kevin looked far out the sky, and over the stalls he saw the evening sun in its beautiful medley of artistic colors surrounding it. A gentle breeze blew over the shore, rustling the hairs of the beachgoers. With a beloved brunette at his arm, the raven smiled to himself. He had never felt so satisfied of life. Before all this, he had been empty, a hollow shell, he had everything, yet, nothing.

Meeting Kanou-a may have been, in the most indirect way, the best thing that straightened his lonesome life. The merman had entered in a painful manner, and exited only after doing him good.

Ben was now all his.

_All his._

- End of Chapter -

* * *

_**how was that?! **_

_**this is literally the last chapter of the entire story but im sure all you kanou-a-lovers wanna knw what happened to the hot merman, yeah? so Im gon**__**na post an Epilogue as the next and final chapter of this story, after which I will deem this fanfiction as 'completed'. ofcourse, I mite come back and edit a few embarrassing spelling mistakes if I find in any chapters, or add a song that I see fit to any chapters. **_

_**one thing I have to tell you, some of you reviewers have already guessed wht kanou-a is going to get! :D**_

_**I bet lil andy is proud to have won the action figures. now he can relate to toy story with ease! hahah!**_

_**oh and I hope hotxhotguy is happy. that guest appearance I promised you for being the 100th reviewer had a long time coming! :P hope ure not mad at me for delaying it! mwah! by the way, that lil blondie is how I depict you by your name. the first mental anime image that came into my mind. yeah. really.**_

_**and thanks to all reviewers! yaaaay!**_


	23. EPILOGUE

**hello!**

**haha! I made hotxhotguy spin till she barfed! uhwahahah! :D**

**[NEW EDIT: nearly forgot your trivia, Reyna Gold! ok, your first question: do I like rookxben? answering it, I wud! I luv rook! absolutely! altho I hate Omniverse, especially the lousy way kevin looks in it, I must admit, Rook is fucking hot! honestly! hes..hes like a Kanou-a with legs, u knw, who doesn't knw how to use slang, and is really good in fighting, and really straightforward! :D but... well, im strictly a bevin fan, but I suppose wud be lenient as long as rooks involved! ok, now, ur second question: worst fic I ever read? well, um , now that wud just be rude of me! and if I don't like a fic, I wud just drop reading it rather thn review it, so I dunno any that I hate so bad that I have to mention them! ok, now for the final punishment of a question: my fav yaoi couple? like, r u kidding me?! ofcourse its BEVIN! like always foreva! if u mean like yaoi series, thn, hmm, that's tough cooki, lady! but, worthy to mention, I like Enjoji x Ranmaru, from Kizuna, (my no.1 fav yaoi series) coz they resemble a grownup kevin and ben! bwahah! so yeah, bevin is the centre of my yaoi universe! period! :D **

**always been a blast replying to ur reviews, Lady Gold; I will definitely miss you! :3]**

**warning: this story, now at an end, had contained mature content, oh yeah, the main thing, its yaoi equals boyxboy equals guy on guy equals homosexuality. homophobes had been warned all along the ride. u still wanna stay , its ur call. :)**

**disclaimer : I do not own ben ten alien force!**

* * *

**Meeting Kanou-a**

**EPILOGUE**

The night was comfortable. Kevin stood at his bedside, looking out the window. Although his eyes were on the beautiful dark night sky, the fluffy clouds extending from the vast corners of it, and the disk of a moon hanging solemnly being reflected in the clear water of the ocean rumbling softly by its waves, Kevin's mind was restless. He wanted something, he was eager, and nervous, and longing. And even though his mind pretended he didn't know what, his heart _did_ know. And, on a side note, so did his crotch.

Sighing, he looked over his shoulder at the closed door of his bedroom. He remembered how several days ago, he had walked out that door at night like a sleepwalker and 'treated' to Ben. Pain, guilt and pleasure had been the emotions given to him, then. But now, there was only the pleasure part to be won. And he _wanted_ it. _SO_ bad.

He was no animal, but there was a limit to how much he could hold back. His guts twisted and knotted every time he saw Ben a little too skimpily dressed. There was so much he longed to do. So much he wanted to kiss, feel, touch. He knew his hormones always got the better of him, and he was finding it hard to disobey it, but he did not want to scare Ben. Of course, Ben _did_ talk dirty, Ben did flout his bare chested self around him, but that doesn't mean he would suddenly be... _ready_ for more. But Kevin's patience was running thin, his heart couldn't delay anymore.

Fire burned in his dark mahogany eyes as he cracked his knuckles ready. He was going to try atleast. He looked down at himself, and looked into the mirror, admiring his reflection.

Not bad. He wore his blue T-shirt, and black shorts. He made sure his hair was okay and sighed when he realised he was fussing with himself too much like some preadolescent schoolboy over his first date. Not that Ben didn't have his effect on him; the brunette always made him feel so conscious of himself.

Spinning at his heels, he bravely made way to his door. But before he twisted the knob, he glanced sideways and spotted the Silencer at his desk. With a grin, he snatched it promptly.

_This might come in real handy._

With the disk in his pocket, he opened his door and stepped out carefully. Tiptoeing gingerly, he made his way to Ben's bedroom. The door was closed, but something told him it was unlocked. He gripped the doorknob with hope and turned it, to hear the delightful click.

Slowly, he pushed open the door a little and popped his head in. He saw Ben on the bed, lying atop his sheets. The brunette lay across the width of the bed, legs dangling off the edge and hands behind his head, eyes on the ceiling. Kevin noticed how Ben's half-lidded eyes seemed to glow like a cat's in the dark. It was not the first time he noticed that though.

At the sound of the previous delightful click of the doorknob, Ben had turned his head and sat up on elbows in alarm, his reflexive gesture of his palm hovering over his Omnitrix made Kevin whisper, "Woah, woah, woah, hold it, it's just me!"

Immediately, the 'its-hero-time!' expression fell clean off from Ben's face and he sat up fully, smiling genuinely, "Kevin! What are you doing up so late? Didn't you want to sleep?" although his eager eyes spoke '_damn, you look amazing in the dark,__ I'm glad you weren't asleep!'_

"Naw," Kevin shrugged casually from his spot at the threshold, "Didn't feel like it."

"Okay," Ben smiled and paused for a few moments. Then he added with a laugh, "Are you just gonna stand there all night?!"

"Huh? Oh, right," he gave a sheepish grin as he slipped in, and carefully closed the door after him. Walking up to the smiling brunette, he sat down beside him at the bed side, exactly at the same spot they had been sitting days ago when they confessed to each other.

"Why weren't _you_ sleeping?" Kevin asked as a conversation-starter, looking at the slighter form leaning against his left bicep.

"Didn't feel like it," Ben grinned, looking up at him through his short eyelashes. Kevin grinned too.

"Say, Kevin, you wanna come under the covers with me?" Ben asked brightly, sitting up.

_Cowabunga! One step closer, Levin!_

"Sure, yeah, I'd like that." Kevin smiled calmly, though on the inside he was fist-pumping the air. Together, the two scrambled on to the bed, and snuggled themselves under the thick comforter.

Staring up at the ceiling, Ben sighed, "You know, I had never _guessed_ that this would come true."

"Never guessed _what_?"

"That I'd _actually_ get to lie with _you_ in my bed," Ben turned to look at him, the green of his eyes danced in different colours like a kaleidoscope.

"Really?" Kevin raised an eyebrow, shifting sideways to his left so that he faced Ben. He folded his left hand under him to support his head as he smiled, "What, you thought I'd turn you down if you told me you liked me?"

(In a way, yes, he would have, if he had not met Kanou-a and realised his feelings for Ben.)

Ben shifted to his right and faced Kevin, and spoke in a matter-of-fact way, "Well, _yeah_. I mean, I didn't know you were a homo too. I thought you'd punch me in the face for telling you the three magic words!"

"Lets try that again and see what I do _now_," came the sly challenge.

Ben pouted at him, cheeks flushing, but not being one to turn down challenges he can easily win, he closed his green eyes for a moment, he reopened them and spoke in the most whispery voice he could manage, "_I love you_."

Kevin's sanity snapped right then. His lips parted and his insides set themselves on fire. It was a wonder how those little words affected him, his heart was screaming, he felt the heat rise all over him; he shoved himself forward and desperately clasped the lips that spoke such sweetness with his own. Ben gave out a muffled groan of agreement as he kissed him back, their mouths watering, Kevin's hands finding themselves around the petite waist. Ben's hands flew to Kevin's neck and hair. Harder and deeper, they squirmed till Kevin swung himself and he was towering over Ben on all fours, not leaving his lips' hold on Ben's mouth. The comforter crumbled to their waists as fiery emotions overtook them in a frenzy.

They had kissed uncountable times before, and each time they had felt a burning glow in the 'south' of their bodies. But this time it was not a burn, its a smouldering desperation. This time, there was a push, where they didn't want to stop what they bodies yearned to do, they didn't want to halt the progress of their hormones. There was not turning back, and they didn't want to either.

Delicious moans rumbled from within Ben, reminding the half-sane Kevin of the day he had touched Ben crotch for the first time. But this was a thousand folds better. Kevin released his sodden bitten lips from Ben's, letting them both the unspoken privilege of breathing, and dived to relish upon Ben's neck, nipping him just where he got Ben the best. Groans and purrs unleashed and Kevin realised that they were loud and if they were going to go _all_ the way, which they will, it was going to get even louder.

So, leaving one hand from Ben's side, he slipped that hand into his pocket and pulled out the Silencer. Ben's clouded green eyes watched as Kevin leaned up and over him to reach out and plant the disk onto the wall just above the headboard of the bed. The disk shone concentric circles that pulsed neon blue lines throughout the room, confirming that it was now safe to be as loud as they wanted.

Ben took the opportunity of Kevin leaning over him to press sensual licks to the pale skin of the Osmosian's neck, making the burly teen shudder and let his head fall in pleasure beside Ben's on the pillow.

"Mnnhn, what was that thingie...?"Ben whispered as Kevin returned the favour of his kisses on his collarbones.

"Sssailensuh," Kevin mumbled into Ben's skin, busy undoing the button of Ben's green-and-black shirt, "Keeps thuh noises of the roohm _within_ thuh room..."

"Clevuh," Ben smiled but his smile dissolved into a moan as Kevin's lips found Ben's chest. Tan hands grabbed raven locks in exhilaration. Their shorts tightened invariably as Keivn lavished more kisses across the tanned abdomen that was revealed when he threw open the unbuttoned shirt. Kevin's expert fingers slowly relished the feel of Ben's skin; something that, till a few days ago, had just been a fantasy to sigh over. Small muscles developed from soccer felt just as how he had imagined they would feel whenever he had seen the brunette change clothes. Of course, even in these few days since his confession, his hands had slipped under the hero's shirt while they kissed, but the feel of it now was magnified by several levels.

Fingers toyed with a pink pebbled disc of the tanned chest, making the younger teen whimper and arch his back into the mattress. Kevin lifted his head just enough to catch a glimpse of that face and he felt his hard-on buzz in his shorts like a starved predator. Licking his lips that he removed from Ben's other nipple, Kevin hunched as he busily tugged at Ben's shorts. Throughout the task, Kevin's warbled mind suddenly registered the sound of Ben's voice.

"Y'know, there's lube in the bedside drawer if you want to be _gentle_ with me..."

Kevin paused and looked at the blushing red face and roaming green eyes studying the room as if the raven was invisible. Kevin was not sure whether the look of the green eyes said that he wanted to be taken gently or roughly. He raised an eyebrow.

"Its not like you're a virgin, right?" Kevin shrugged, speaking more to himself than to Ben. But he had spoken out loud.

"Huh?"

_Ooops_.

_Big_ mistake. As per the memory Ben had, he had never had sex before. Kanou-a was the one to have taken his virginity and now he didn't exist to him. Kevin bit his tongue as his face heated up in sudden nervousness.

But this was Kevin Levin. His face refused to show the panic within, as he blinked at Ben in perfect innocence, "But,... you've never slept with Julie?!" Smoothly, he had avoided a great crisis of suspicious questions by twirling the topic on its point.

Ben blushed as he looked away, "No."

"Why not?"

"I'm gay, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Kevin sighed. "Any _guys_ I should know about?"

"What?! No!"

"Phew!"

"Phew what?"

"That I'm your first," Kevin lips stretched in a seductive smirk. Ben replied with a pair of redder cheeks, quickly looking away and deciding to stare at the abdomen before him than the face that made him all hot. Not that he already wasn't. Infact, the sight of the ripped abdomen was making it hotter.

Kevin leaned over him, and Ben looked up right into the browns.

"This body right here, its _all mine_," Kevin hissed with infectious possessiveness as he dropped his face to the crook between Ben's neck and shoulder. Ben smiled at the statement, for he couldn't agree more. A few kisses later, Kevin suddenly sat up, having been smacked with a thought.

"Wait, where'd you get lube from?!"

Ben blew a strand of chocolate fringe from his eyes and drew the clefted jaws towards him, speaking into the smooth skin behind the raven's ear, "Found it in the bathroom cabinet along with the other free samples of shampoo and soap and stuff."

"Then why is it in your drawer and not in the bathroom?" Kevin smirked mischievously, although a part of his face was melting under the ministrations of Ben's tongue over the shell of his ear.

"I thought it smelt nice..." Ben mumbled. Kevin turned and looked bluntly at him, with a twitching grin, "Seriously, it smelt nice? That's the best you got?"

Ben snorted, "You want me to admit, then _fine!_ There were a lot of hot guys on the beach and, then there's YOU, with all your _'Look at me, I'm superhot, wanna fuck?_' sorta aura, so its logical I would need to jerk off and do stuff!"

Well, Kevin be damned, that was indeed a superb compliment, boosting his ego upto 40%!

"Perfect!" Kevin dipped his head and kissed Ben, rewarding the brunette's compliment with a shameless sequence of grinding his hips into Ben's, the deepest and kinkiest way he could, which was a lot, given the way Ben was going putty under him with equally shameless moans.

Taking Ben's little info into mind (no, not about his appeal, but about the lube) Kevin let free one hand and reached it for the bedside table, fumbling for the handle of the top drawer and pulling it open. His fingers danced within the drawer while he kissed Ben relentlessly, until he felt in the grip of his fingers something smooth and round. Grabbing it without a second thought, he retreaved his hand.

Kevin broke the kiss for air, and Ben appreciated that, but continued to lavish his full lips on every pale patch of skin he could reach from his position. Kevin turned his face and stared at the object he had captured from the drawer.

The enchanted conch.

Mahogany eyes lost their lusty lustre as his pupils dilated at the marble conch in his hand, etched with magical runes. The very conch Ben used for calling Kanou-a. Kevin's heart beat a thousand miles per minute, a sudden onslaught of emotions wavering in him. He saw in his mind's eye, a beautiful brotherly face with warm blue eyes and a friendly smile.

How was Kanou-a now? What might he be doing out there in the Ocean? He remembered the merman say that he too would have his memory of Ben removed, so was it already done?

Kevin felt a different sort of heat rise up his throat. One that made him feel indebted to the blue-eyed specimen of justice and perfection; Kevin owed him. Big time. Kevin smiled to himself, feeling a weird brotherly affection well up.

_Thanks, man. 'Cause of you, I'm laying right here, on Ben, living my deepest of desires, neediest of dreams, most longing of fantasies._

Ben stirred, he made to turn and look at Kevin but Kevin gripped him in a hug such that Ben's face was buried in a blanket of warmth and tough muscles. Ben, (far too muddle-brained to think why) decided to return the embrace, cooing Kevin's name, oblivious to what was in Kevin's hand. Slim legs locked around Kevin' waist, pushing their nether regions into each other. Kevin felt his spine tingle and the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

He looked at the conch in his fingers. A silky beautiful voice reverberated in his mind.

_Alright. If you are ready to breathe not a single word about myself to Kirby, then yes, I shall let you keep your memories of me._

_"Right, I owe it to you," _Kevin breathed, quickly placing the conch back in the drawer. He decided to let it be there rather than hide it; if Ben found it later, he could always tell him they had found it a few days at the beach and let Ben keep it. Smiling happily, Kevin fingers returned to dancing in the drawer, until they met a rolling tube.

_Bingo_.

o.o.o

Kanou-a stared at the coral floor, his mind sighing.

His brothers had just performed the memory-erasing spell on him, and in a few minutes time, he would forget everything about Kirby. These few days had been an emotional torture for the young prince, not being able to see or communicate with Kirby; he felt empty, hollow, alone. But he had taken a decision and he was sticking to it. Besides, Kirby must be happy by now, Friend Kevin had probably confessed to him and he has probably accepted.

Kanou-a remained still as the several mermaids whizzed about him, whispering and chuckling to each other as they eagerly adorned Kanou-a with gold and silver ornaments for the second time. Today was a mating ceremony as well, and this time, he was not going to be running away. There was no feeling of betrayal here. He just hoped that once his memory is gone, he would love his mate if compatible.

When the mermaids were done, they all swam back, and looked at him with shining admiring eyes. A repetition of the other day.

Kanou-a glanced at himself in the mirror and saw that, yes, he _did_ look nice. To him, nice was all he was, but to others, he was exceptionally beautiful. The gold and silver adorned by him shone, but his blue eyes didn't. His lips were only faintly twitching for a smile.

The mermaids sensed this melancholic quality of him, and they all looked at each other and then at him in sympathy. They wished they could say something but they didn't know how anything they could say would help.

Kanou-a looked at the speechless ladies and realized his sad attitude was infectious, so he took a soft breath and smiled appreciatively at them all, "Thank you, you have once again made me more beautiful than I ought to be." Blue eyes tried to smile but there was only a half-hearted glint in them.

The mermaids looked surprised and warmed that their prince was going out of his way to appreciate them even though he was going through a terrible heart ache. Yes, they knew. Only them, besides Kanou-a brothers and parents (who hadn't been told of the Cublors though). And these mermaids knew that a heart torn away from love was not easy to heal.

The doors of the room opened and a young merman appeared. He bowed his red haired head to the prince and spoke, "Your Highness, the Royal Brothers have requested to start the mating."

Kanou-a nodded and swam slowly out the doors that the red-head held open for him. The mermaids too followed, but they stayed just outside the door with the messenger merman.

Kanou-a swam to his brothers who watched him. He was a beautifully melancholic sight in gold and silver compliments. His brothers glanced at each other, and they felt pity well up in them for their little brother.

Ke-inno spoke with smile, "You look wonderful, Kanou-a."

Koniel nodded with a smile too, "Indeed, very."

Kanou-a bowed respectfully as he spoke in a solemner-than-usual voice, "Thank you, I am humbled."

Kaprosca, however, frowned, as he swam closer to him, "Little Brother," and at that, Kanou-a looked up at the golden eyed merman. Kaprosca felt himself being slightly intimidated at those densely saddened blue eyes and the heavy sadness they tried to disguise but in vain. The Lightning Prince pursed his lips,; he did not like seeing his loved ones so forlorn. The elder merman put out both his hands and held Kanou-a by the shoulders, "Kanou-a, you _do_ know this is for your greater good?"

"Yes, Brother," came the soft voice gloomily, blue eyes dropping to the floor calmly.

"And I think your candidate today will appreciate it if you didn't look so dejected and dull. A prince must face all odds, natural, physical, and emotional; he must not let his inwardly emotions as these to affect others."

"Yes, I do know. But I assure you, I will not disgrace my mating ceremony with so a face. I just solemnly wait for the memory spell to remove my memory so that I shall be my joyous, happy self, once again."

"Good. Now, you may leave for the room."

Kanou-a looked up from the floor. He then asked, "Wouldn't it be better if I wait for the spell to be successful? Then I may receive the mate with a wholesome smile, rather than one forced as is present."

Imagine Kanou-a's surprise when the three brothers smiled calmly in reply. All three wore the same smile; a little, not too cheeky, but not too insignificant smile. Kanou-a ran his eyes from brother to brother, finally settling on the eldest. The Lightning Prince looked at his youngest sibling, affection warm in his eyes.

"We have chosen a male for you this time. And he is a prince too, and the three of us see it fit if you meet him as fast as you can. You wouldn't want to delay a prince, do you?"

Kanou-a sighed, and did not want to question his brothers at all, being the obedient brother he was. He braced himself, "I shall meet him, then".

The three moved aside, to make way for Kanou-a who saw ahead of him the two golden doors of the bedroom. Shame made his face hot as he remembered how pathetically he had swam out of those doors, unable to mate with Princess Selena. Kanou-a pursed his lips and took a deep breath of bravery; he was not going to swim away this time, he kept reminding himself so.

Kanou-a swam to the golden doors. He placed his palms on the cold polished metal, but turned his head around to look at his brothers. The three beautiful mermen gave him identical smiles of encouragement, simultaneously titling their heads a little, as if to say 'go on now, make haste!'

Kanou sighed, and turned back to the door. He pushed them open and they moved without even a creak. The door swung in and Kanou-a entered. The doors remained open.

Kanou-a looked around the room, recognising the decorations as they had been when he met Selena. Soft hues were used to create a mellow tone to the room, and to make it romantic if possible. Far across the large room, he spotted the clam-structured bed with their transparent pink drapes. He could see the silhouette of the prince sitting at the bed, and his hands moved as if he were wringing them, obviously from nervousness.

He swam only half the length of the room towards the bed, when suddenly, the other prince noticed his presence. Immediately, the silhouette's face turned and two large eyes stared at his. Kanou-a watched the prince shyly get up and pull aside the pink drapery covering his form. He got up and swam towards Kanou-a.

Kanou-a stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened and his heart drummed violently. His breathe froze at his throat, collarbones bulging as he refused to let out his exhalation.

_This ... this can't be...! THIS CAN'T BE!_

The chosen male smiled nervously at Kanou-a. He was dressed in the ornaments too, beautiful silver with ebony and emerald stones. He was very much adorable. Shoulder length hair of brown, a fairly tan complexion and slim framed, he was feminine yet muscled slightly. A bright green tail tapered from his waist. His eyes were of pretty lilac.

Kanou-a felt the water now leaving his lungs grow warm from the rise of his own temperature. Everything around him, he room, the bed, the walls, the ceiling, its all seemed o vanish as his eyes only registered the pretty merman who floated several feet from him.

_This...can't be... but...how..._

Kanou-a felt his throat burn, and tongue move in that one word which always made him happy _and_ sad.

_Kirby...! It's Kirby!_

Aside from the fact that this was a merman, the prince looked... exactly like Ben.

The same round face. The same tannish skin. The same obliviously seductive smile. Although the eyes were lilac, they shone, attracted, glittered with an innocent child-like charm.

A merman who remarkably looked like Ben's twin.

Kanou-a felt the world spin around him dizzily. Wild confused waves of emotions swept within his heart as he swung around and stared at the door where his three brothers floated, smiling the same way as before. Kanou-a felt his heart leap a thousand times, as his eyes spoke wildly as the irises whizzed between the crimson, gold and silver pairs, but the brothers simply nodded and closed the doors, shutting him and the new prince within.

Kanou-a slowly turned to the prince. His insides twisted and frolicked within him, just to see someone exactly like Kirby; oh, the longing, the want to touch, after all these days. His body was growing pleasantly warm as he visually drunk in the sight of him. Kanou-a understood that his brothers wanted him to be happy, so they had aptly given him a merman who looked like Kirby so he could enjoy his last few moments of memory in peace knowing he would, in a way, be with Kirby forever. Even though in a few minutes he no longer would know who 'Kirby' was.

The brunette prince had watched the exchange of glances between the brothers, and was now feeling utterly confused at what the commotion was about. He blinked his pretty eyes and looked at a loss of what to ask or say. And with those indigo eyes gazing at him in such a manner, the prince's cheeks went ablaze, his lavender gaze dropping to the floor instead.

"Uh, g-greetings to you, my prince," he spoke unsurely. His heart was drummed furiously in his chest, unaware that Kanou-a's was, as well.

Kanou-a barely knew what he was speaking, for he was lost in the sight of his long lost love's replica, "Yes, greetings to you too, I am Prince Kanou-a," and it was only a few moments that he remembered he had to bow respectfully. Which he did. He just couldn't focus on the formalities as his eyes refused to leave the green-tailed merman.

The prince bowed too, and said, "And I am Prince Benj-i."

[A/N: pronounced 'benji'. I am so evil!]

When straightened up, he saw Kanou-a looked a little miffed and frozen at the sound of his name. The corners of Kanou-a's lips twitched upwards as he swam a little closer, eyes mesmerised and voice a silken whisper, "_Is it now? That's lovely_..."

Benj-i smiled, blushing deeply, for the sight of Kanou-a had whipped the air out of him in the least; the raven was so breathtaking. His lilac eyes moved all over the spiky fins lacing the shoulders, arms and hips, and he looked impressed. He twiddled his fingers at his chest shyly.

"Y-you have very beautiful, majestic fins," came the whisper. Kanou-a felt a flutter tickle his heart, "_Thank you_,..."

"So, I understand that you are already matured. Was it from another mate?" the lilac lifted off the body and concentrated on the face and eyes. Kanou-a had to blink and pause before registering the question in his muddled brain.

"Uh? Oh yes, I had a ceremony previously, with Princess Serena, but, _certain _circumstances proved she was not ideal for me." A glow of shame returned to him, but it dispelled when Benj-i chuckled nervously, "Well, that is quite fortunate for me, isn't it?"

Kanou-a gazed at him. _Benj-i chuckles just like Kirby... a silvery chuckle, making the listener smile without their knowledge..._

The younger merman suddenly realised what he had just spoken and fell horrified at the rude way it sounded. He gasped and looked worried, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound selfish; but it is the truth, is it not, that because Princess Serena was not fit for you that I have the pleasure of being in your presence?"

Kanou-a smiled lovingly, "Yes, it is. You need not apologize, for I do not find any fault in your observation. In fact, I believe, the pleasure _is all mine_..." and he couldn't help his voice reducing to only a breathy sigh. He had not yet overcome the sight of Benj-i, having been starved of the charismatic figure of Kirby. His laughs, his touches, his glances...

Benj-i hung his head a little as he spoke, "But, as you can see, I am not matured yet, and this is my first Mating Ceremony," his cheeks flushed, "And as glad as I am that I have such a beautiful person to mate with, I am afraid I cannot even _compare_ to your obviously enormous strength," his voice was breathy too, a nervous chirp, as he continued to speak at the floor, "So, you can assume that I am inexperienced and h-haven't a clue on what I must do, and I hope sincerely that you sh-shall be ...gentle on me, and ... - oh my!"

It was then he realised that Kanou-a was standing only an hair's breadth away from him, looking down at him with ivory eyes clouded in dark blues of an emotion that Benj-i couldn't name. "Oh, uh...," His lilac eyes widened as he looked up at the face of perfection gazing at him with such passion that Benj-i nearly choked. His full lips twitched as he whispered, "Uh, P-prince Kanou-a?"

Thin lips moved sensuously as the voice slipped past them, "_You are quite the beauty, do you know_..."

Benj-i's cheeks went deep red as Kanou-a pressed closer to him, his chin touching Benj-i's forehead. The raven's palms laced over his forearms and slid up and then curled around his lithe form in a gentle embrace. "_Oh_,..." Their tails swayed softy in the water. Benj-i looked up at the taller merman, surprised and excited at the positive response that was so quick to come. His hands pressed to the raven's chest as he breathed in the deep scent of lilies.

Kanou-a looked euphoric.

This was Kanou-a's last chance. To hold anything close to Kirby. He knew, in a few moments' time, his memory would be gone forever. But he just wanted to embrace this figure, enjoy the last few throes of his passion, the touch of the slim tan hands, the feel of the soft brown hair.

"Oh, _my_...," Benj-i felt his heart drum furiously, to be embraced by the most beautiful merman he had seen, to feel the goosebumps flit across his skin as the raven's palms stroked his back, combed his hair. He was stunned, because he had earlier feared that the merman wouldn't be fond of him, given his slim physique and powerless form. Yet he was afraid to respond, to return the loving embrace, to reciprocate.

Kanou-a spoke softly, "I shall be as gentle with you as I can. I shan't _ever_ hurt you, I shan't _ever_ do anything against your will."

Benj-I smiled into the marble smooth chest. Well, he was rather lucky to have such an understanding individual. He hoped they were compatible to create offspring. His face blushed.

Benj-i felt himself being pulled backwards, towards the bed. Immediately aware of what was to some, he face went red again, "Uh, P-prince Kanou-a?"

A slim finger raised and pressed to Benj-i's full lips. Kanou-a whispered, "_Please, call me 'Kanou-a'_...," and Benj-i blushed even more, feeling his heart drum faster and pulse rise as he was made to fall back on the bed, with Kanou-a. Black hair billowed all around him, the scent of it was so alluring and sensual that Benj-i all but sighed. And after a few moments, he remembered what he had wanted to ask.

"K-Kanou-a?"

The raven lifted up his head from where it had been buried in Benj-i's soft hair, "Yes?"

Benj-i had nearly forgotten his question as he looked at the older male; Kanou-a's half lidded eyes were dripping with lust. Blinking, and gulping down a lump in his throat, Benj-i whispered, "Uh, sh-shouldn't I be fetching the a-aphrodisiac?" he peered over Kanou-a's shoulder to look at the purple sphere of swirling pink gas, sitting at the bedside table.

"Oh no, no," Kanou-a sighed, pulling out his hands from around the brunette to hold Benj-i's face and turning it away from the sphere to face him, "We wouldn't be needing that, _at all_..."

"B-but..?"

"_Hhusshhh_..." came the interrupting whisper, fogged blue eyes gazing at Benj-i's lips that the former's thumbs brushed against. The face moved closer as he whispered further, "_I shall love you till neither of us can see_..."

"Oh, my!"

Benj-i felt his sanity explode in excitement, his blush heated him so warm that he didn't feel the lips against his until a few seconds later. Unexplainable feelings whirled within the virgin who felt his nether regions burn and come alive, his abdominal muscles rippled as he strained and clenched, while Kanou-a kissed him most passionately. Tongues swirling and sweeping, the kiss reached deeper levels, the strong arms wound around him and ensnared him closer. Then, Benj-i felt a hot pulsing solidness press against his stomach.

Being an androgynous male, Benj-i had both genders of reproductive organs, and they awoke themselves for the first time in his life, the sensation itself threw him off balance as he felt his body seize and pant helplessly, an overwhelming power strangled him all over.

"K-kahnouha!" he gasped, throwing his head back, breaking the kiss to breathe. Kanou-a's hungry eyes watched the erotic confusion on Benj-i's face, and found himself smiling softly to it. Since the lilac eyes were closed, Benj-i now looked exactly like Ben. Kanou-a let the brunette lay down completely on the soft bed, and he lay over him, supported by elbows on the bed, and watched him lovingly.

Kanou-a's eyes blurred a little. No, there were no tears, for his eyes didn't burn. Kanou-a blinked, but his vision didn't clear. Blinking again and again, he realised he was feeling heavy by the head too. His alarmed mind realised that the memory-erasing was complete. He was disappointed that he couldn't go any further, but he realised it was best he didn't; he didn't want to cheat the innocent Benj-i, by making love to him as he thought of someone else.

Under his brawny form, Benj-i panted in deep breaths, not yet overcoming the effect of his first arousal.

Kanou-a let out a soft groan, as his head throbbed painfully and everything spun around and around, as though a heavy block was cascading atop his brain. Wincing slightly, his face fell forward helplessly, buried beside Benj-i's on the bed.

Benj-i finally caught his breath, enough to reduce his wild pants to a calm heaving of the chest, and to breathe through the nose. But something bothered him:

Kanou-a was not moving.

The muscular body lay on top of him, arms and tail unmoving, only the ahir continued to billow beautifully like velvety silk. Benj-i breathed carefully under the powerful cage of the chiselled body. Nervously, he gulped in more water.

Benj-i whispered, "K-Kanou-a?"

The powerful form stirred a bit. Slowly, a groan emanated, and a few moans of effort later, the raven lifted up his shoulders and head by the support of his elbows. Kanou-a looked lost as he blinked ahead of him at the coral wall, hazy and confused.

_What has happened? Where am I? Was I asleep for long?_

He suddenly realised there was something underneath him, breathing carefully but warmly. He looked at the body he lay on. Immediately, Kanou-a's cheeks went ablaze, blue eyes wide as he stared at the red-cheeked Benj-i lying sensuously helpless under him, hands pressed to the raven's chest, with his face shy and blushing, but lilac eyes beseeching silently for more 'action'. The very sight made Kanou-a's aroused organ twitch a bit.

And that was when Kanou-a noticed he was aroused in the _first_ place; he looked between them and saw two aroused penises and one puckered orifice.

A thousand questions bombarded in his head. Yet he could only gaze at Benj-i, and breathe deep and heavy, rather than say anything. Amidst the aroused feeling he had never felt before, he calculated by glancing at the surroundings that a Mating Ceremony was intact and this beautiful creature under him was his chosen mate.

_But... I don't remember anything,... how could I forget something so important even as it is happening?! How can I not remember how I have become so aroused?!_

Kanou-a, regaining his calm friendliness, looked apologetically at Benj-i, "I'm sorry, I know it is rather rude of me to ask this at this point since we are already in each others arms and very much aroused, and I suspect we haven't used the aphrodisiac by sensing its absence here,... could you tell me what your name is, pretty one?"

Benj-i blushed a little, not finding it in the least rude at all. "B-Benj-i."

Kanou-a's face lit up with a smile he coud manage with the unbridled lust brewing disproportionately inside him, "You are quite the beauty, do you know."

"Um, y-you _did_ mention that earlier," Benj-i smiled, lilac eyes looked away in shyly, making Kanou-a feel the want to kiss him. A weird sense of attraction drew him to this green-tailed merman. After all, he reminded himself that if he had been so aroused without the use of aphrodisiac, then he must _really_ like this merman. The sight of the pretty face coloured a blushing red made him follow his instincts as he dipped his head and kissed him, and according to the memory Kanou-a had, it was the first time he was consciously kissing someone, that too, with a passion he didn't know could be so strong.

Benj-i moaned within his kiss. His arms found life and slipped out from between the two ornamented bodies and curled around the powerful shoulders, holding the statuesque figure closer. Kanou-a smiled when he felt a queerly familiar warmth envelope him, inside out.

And thus started a another beautiful love story.

o.o.o

Kevin lay panting, staring up at the ceiling, a layer of slick sweat all over his face and body. His muscular chest heaved softly, hair tousled around his head on the pillow. Glazed brown eyes whizzed all over the ceiling as if he were searching for something written on it, as if he could see not the ceiling but some great defined truth and revelations, as if the ceiling was some sort of portal to all his answers.

He simply smiled. He wanted to scream, to jump, to shout out to the world. But he was far too stiff to move anyway. Nonetheless, his face did not let his smile of accomplishment fall; he had, after all, experienced the most amazing sex of his entire life, the longest he could muster too. His legs were still ringing in physical pain, if that were any indication, but it was a sweet kind of pain, a delirious kind of exhaustion that gave satisfaction, like the kind felt when one sees a hard work paying off even if every fibre of their muscles hurt.

Beside Kevin, with his brunette head laying on the former's left arm, was Ben, peacefully sleeping in the exhaustion of his explosive first time. Small tanned hands were pressed to his muscular chest, both pairs of lungs now breathed softer and calmer. A small smile laced the bruised lips of the brunette, making Kevin smile his bitten ones too.

They lay calm, Kevin awake, Ben asleep, absolutely nude with nothing but the comforter covering them till their waists. (It was quite the feat for Kevin, hauling the comforter from under his tired body and Ben's limp one. But he managed.)

Sighing, he looked back at the ceiling.

o.o.o

Kanou-a blinked up at the pink corals of the decorated ceiling of the bedroom. He had never, for the life of him, _ever_ expected sexual intercourse to be so overwhelming; he had never realised that he would lose himself so helplessly into insanity, that he could moan like he did. Even as he thought of the manner he couldn't help the noises he made in synchronisation to Benj-i's, he blushed in a bit of embarrassment.

He was sure his brothers from outside the room were staring stunned at the golden doors that were hiding the indecent behaviour he had so shamelessly done involuntarily, given the noises that may have leaked out.

Nonetheless, Kanou-a felt happy, and his heart drummed in great hope that Benj-i would be capable of bearing his offsring; he couldn't imagine anyone else for himself, even if he had only known this beautiful God-like beauty for a few hours, and it was worth mentioning that those few hours had been expressively the best of his life.

Kanou-a felt himself blush again. He knew no one had _ever_ affected him so.

His shining eyes looked down to see the small brown-haired head resting peacefully on his chiselled chest; while their tails refused to move, their hair softly fluttered in the water. Their ornaments were shed all around them and on the floor, and their 'organs' had retreated back into their bodies after the extensive work they had done. A deep lusty part of Kanou-a hoped he could do that again, and maybe again, although merpeople usually do no succumb to multiple sessions of sex unless they were in love with their mate. Like Koniel and Irides.

Was it love that he felt now? Kanou wondered. Maybe _this_ was what it was to be in love. Maybe this was what his Fire Prince brother Koniel had felt for Brother Irides. A supreme unexplained passion. A limitless abyss of unjustified affection.

Sighing, he looked up at the coral ceiling again.

o.o.o

Kevin smiled softly at the ceiling.

Kanou-a smiled softly at the ceiling.

Together, from their respective bedrooms, in their respective realms of land and water, with their respective beloveds sleeping beside them, the two twin-like ravens uttered under their breaths, with pure satisfaction and contentment, the same four words:

"I am now whole."

- THE END -

_*^¬¬^ And they lived happily ever after. Or did they? Your call. ^¬¬^*_

* * *

**omg! its finally happened! its complete! **

**yeah im a little freaking out tho, I mean, okay wow, I got to this story like last year, and now its done! snif sniff, im so proud of my kanou-a!**

**I look back at this story and I realise that...whn I try to write lemony stuff, it always ends up sounding a bit loveydovey. my good-goody side would wonder, "oh dear, I suppose my lemon is always a bit cheesy." and thn my not-so-good side would mumble, "I don't think lactic acid and citrus acid go well together." and then the goody-goody side wud look at my not-so-good side with blunt eyes, "That was the lamest thing I ever heard." and the reply would be, "You asked for it."**

**sigh. yup, I got multiple personalities. **

**ANYWAY, coming to the matter, ... this is finally over. this story. this world. :)**

**I wud like to thank all my lovely reviewers, there are so many ppl I want to mention but im afraid of leaving anyone out and I have such a pathetic memory that I would most likely end up forgetting to mention many! so, all I wanna say to every reviewer who knows thsi story is that you are a part of its making, its polishing, its development, and it is from your funny remarks and happy excitement that I draw the will to write!**

**thank you all! **

**also, I wud like to once again owe the birth of this story's seed in my head to the comics of smackjeeves that I read : **

**Bride of the Shark, **

**Groom of the Shark,**

**The Surfer and the Merman. **

**for any underage veiwers reading this, pls be warned that these comics are excessively R-rated, so um... yeah but u went ahead to read my M-rated story anyway, so what the point rite?! :D**

**anyway, I dunno if I shud try but I have a blurry half imagined sequel to Meeting Knaou-a but I doubt many of you will be happy, (Psst, involves a very nasty Kanou-a!) hey, c'mon guys I got so **_**sick**_** of my goody -two-shoes baby that I decided to rotten him out a bit and see how he looks whn hes all badass, whtdya say eh? No? ok. sigh. **

**but just so you know, its really angsty. I guess I wud name it "Fighting Kanou-a", or "Wrathful Knaou-a", or "Revenge of the Merman", or something! :P I dunno if I shud try it out. so, whatdya all say? shud I? or shud I just leave it here? **

**Yes, reviewers, you have the say. I write for you, and you have enuf power to wield! So wield away! **

**(^v^) ****Uh….who wants bribe-cookies! Its chocolate! (shows cookies temptingly)**


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